For now we see through a glass darkly, but then we shall know, even as we are known. – I Corinthians 13:12

Some of this material was taken from my other blog, Missed Mass.

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Opinions expressed in this book are not necessarily the views of the publisher.

Explanations

What is a missal? It is a prayer book to be used at Sunday church services. This missal includes some special days calledholy days. Sunday is Yahweh’s special day, but every day is Yahweh’s day and thus, every day is holy.

To use this Missal: We know that our regular calendar year starts on January 1 with New Year’s Day. The church yearfollows a similar routine, but it starts near the end of November with the First Sunday of Advent. The Immaculate Conception is December 8. From the four Sundays of Advent, the church year proceeds to Christmas (Vigil, Dawn, and Day Masses available). Then comes the Solemnity of Mary (which is the regular New Year’s Day). Holy Family is between Christmas and the New Year. Then comes Epiphany; next, a variable number of Sundays in Ordinary Time; and then, six Sundays of Lent. Easter is a movable feast and is celebrated on the first Sunday after the first full moon after the Spring Solstice, which is usually March 21. There are 5 Sundays following Easter (called Second Sunday of Easter to Sixth Sunday of Easter). Then comes the feast of the Ascension (40 days after Easter); next comes the Seventh Sunday of Easter, Pentecost, Trinity Sunday, Corpus Christi, and then back to Sundays in Ordinary Time depending on how many Ordinary Sundays were used in the Easter period. The Feast of Mary Magdalene is on July 22. The Assumption is on August 15. After possibly using the 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, the service to be used is the last Sunday in the Church year which is the Feast of Christ the King in the end of November.

Readings for ‘ABCD’ years of the Christian Mass If you missed Mass because of snow or rain and wished you knew what the readings were or felt in need of hearing a homily, then I can help you. However, I do not pretend to take the place of a community gathering that shares the message and life of Jesus Christ. The Internet gives you a chance to participate and pray with others, and to tell other participants how you feel about the readings and femilies.

Most prayer books will give three years of readings called A, B, and C, but I have chosen to set up four years to include more of the Gospel of John. I like the Gospel of John because it introduces us more to the Holy Spirit. I do not know why some Christian prayer calendars are three years long, featuring the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, and do not include a year dedicated primarily to the Gospel of John. Thus I have added a year of John’s Gospel whose writings help us to think more on the Holy Spirit and the Trinity. Is there no gospel quote but John 7:37-39, that echoes Trinity? Trinity may be another name for Holy Spirit or Wisdom of God. Trinity may remind us of ‘Father, Son, and Holy Spirit’ from an earthly viewpoint; from another starside view of the Universe, we might seeTrinity as Multiplicity, as God’s Spirit of Wisdom appearing on multiple planets and encouraging varying life forms to love one another. There are whispers of the Spirit of Wisdom in all four gospels.

Homilies I Never Gave: A homily is a brief talk given in a church. Likewise a femily is a brief talk as produced by a woman rather than a man. Included in these homilies (or femilies) are old myths that have contributed to the wisdom in the Bible. We go to war and kill thousands of people because we interpret ancient words erroneously. There are the presentday myths such as celibacy, abortion, priestesses, or the location of the village of Nazareth. We invent new myths based on the misunderstanding of old myths. We often take literally what we should take symbolically.

I never gave voice to these femilies, because certain patriarchs stated that they had no authority to ordain women. Perhaps those patriarchs do not have the right to ordain men, either. Perhaps only God has the right to ordain, as only God has the right to say who shall die (or be executed). Sometimes we say the state has this power of God’s to perform the death penalty. We must be careful when we say that the state or the church leaders have God’s power. We do not know the mind of God. We do not even know if God exists. When we assume we have the knowledge of God’s will, we do not realize what horrors we may be perpetrating in the name of Divinity.

However, assuming that I was made by a Great Spirit that I believe in, I always felt that I was ordained by that Spirit for some purpose, so I should have a homily or a poem or a song ready in case there was an appropriate moment. Could now be the appropriate moment? Instead of being given permission by authoritative men, I have found a compliant medium in the Internet. Of course, I do not know all the answers, but I do have a viewpoint. We all try to see why the world was made and what marvelous creator designed it, but no one of us really knows. We see the great picture through a glass in a very cloudy manner. So come, join with me, all you discarded voices, who would like to tell your stories! God has given us the Internet as a way to communicate among human beings. Perhaps all our good thoughts and kind words to each other in and about the world, will cancel out the horrors, great or small, that those addicted to violence and control have inflicted upon us.

On Biblical Translations: With an older Bible we may get closer to its original thought. When we compare several Bibles, we may gain insights into the intended meanings. Bibles used here are King James, Jerusalem, and the most recent Poverty and Justice Bible. The King James is the oldest and most popular of the Bibles in English. I like it because it is in stately old-fashioned English; therefore one may get a different viewpoint of what the Bible is saying, than one would get from a translation in modern English. When I couldn’t understand an interpretation, I would go to the Jerusalem or the Poverty and Justice to see what sense they had made of the passage. The Jerusalem Bible was first translated into French and then translated into English (Doubleday, Garden City, 1966). Of course, I do not claim infallibility for any of my interpretations. The books of Wisdom and Ecclesiasticus are not seen by some Jewish and Protestant sects as Holy Books, but Jesus may have been raised as a child using such instruction. Thus I feel justified as including them with the more accepted readings.

Gender in Scripture Translations: The Bible was less patriarchal in its original languages. Earliest known scriptures of the New Testament were written in Hebrew and Greek, but Jesus spoke Aramaic. Latin and Greek expressed gender by different word endings, but English is full of pronouns that exclude the female gender. English Bibles are quite heavy with the words he, him, his, Lord, etc. when referring to God. God is not a man (as pictured on the ceiling of the Cistine Chapel in Rome), or a woman either. God is a Spirit. Jesus said that Godis Love. Of course, that was not in English, but in Aramaic. Love is not masculine or feminine. Jesus spoke of Abba which may mean an ancestor of either sex.

If one says he, him, his or Lord often enough, as in creeds and readings, all those who hear those readings and creeds become convinced that God is male. I have tried to make the readings in this missal, gender-equal, so that people can visualize God as beyond male and female.

There is no pronoun in English to designate a gender that can be either he or she. We can invent new  pronouns, or use old plurals, so that English speakers will have a chance to think about how their language has contributed to the debasement of women. Instead of he/she, or s/he, we could use that one. Instead of the possessive her/his, we could use their. Instead of the direct object her/him, we could use them.

Speakers of English assume that kings are more important than queens, that God prefers to be referred to as he and him, and that women are less important than men. There is a need for someone to revise more recent biblical translations so that they continue to display gender-equality while using the English language. Some languages have one word that means both hisand her. Surely, English should be versatile enough to have some word that is usable to express gender-equality. Could we use the word being to refer to either sex? Such a system would take up a lot more space and require more paper and ink, but it might give all beings or human beings a longer space of time to think about gender equality and the non-gender or all-inclusive gender of God.

There is the added problem of finding an adjective to use when talking about God. When we speak about the Earth and say it ishis footstool, could we say that it is Great Being’s footstool? You might think that we could use the word Great Person, but others might not agree that the word person could be applied toGod. Some searching to name God, decide to call God byInfinite Being’s attributes. Instead of writing Lord which is not gender-equal, could we write Compassion? Could we writeGenerous? Different people would like to emphasize different qualities. To emphasize gender and use male and female words, as in the English language, is confusing and gives those who are reading, the wrong idea about Infinite Divinity. Psalm 100 uses the name of God as YAHWEH, which many interpret to mean I AM WHO AM. Furthermore, religious Jews are so respectful of this name, they write it as Y—-H, which helps to make the reader remember WHO is being spoken about. Using pronouns for God limits God who is unlimited. For instance, change (knowing God as He is in Himself through pure faith) into (knowing God as God is in Godself through pure faith), may change how you think about God.

When translating ancient documents, we are set off course by changes in style, punctuation, and phrases out of place. Biblical writers necessarily reflect the styles of their times. The Apostle Paul uses partial sentences that are difficult to follow. What is needed is a book of prayers, readings, and brief instructions from encyclicals that encourages women to believe that they are a necessary part of an humanity that can think creatively, theologically, and intelligently in a church community.

Encyclicals and Documents: Encyclicals are writings approved by Popes for their ethical content. Pope Pius XII issued 41 Papal Encyclicals, during his reign as Pope for over 19 years, from his election of March 2, 1939 until his death on October 9, 1958. The forty-one encyclicals of Pope Pius XII exceed the thirty-two encyclicals written by all his successors, Pope John XXIII, Paul VI, John Paul I, John Paul II and Benedict XVI during the fifty years that followed (1958-2008). One of the more relevant encyclicals is War and Peace by John XXIII promulgated in 1961.

The Catholic Church occasionally produces an Encyclical on moral issues. The Bishops write pastoral letters on important topics. Some of the publications that are worthy of note are:

Sensus Fidelium, Aristotle, Thomas Aquinas: “The common consent of all peoples is an infallible index of truth.”

Church in the Modern World, #29, John XXIII, 1971, Discrimination based on sex is “contrary to God’s intent.”

Bishops Pastoral Letter, 1983, on War and Peace. “The initiation of nuclear war would be unjustified.”

A Consistent Ethic of Life by Cardinal Joseph Bernardin, Fordham, 1983.

Bishops Pastoral Letter, 1984: Social Teachings & US Economy, Biblical & Theological Foundations, 1st draft.

Bishops Pastoral  Letter, 1986: Economic Justice for All: Catholic Social Teaching and the US Economy.

Respect for Human Life in its Origin; by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, 1987

Mother of the Redeemer, (Redemptoris Mater), John Paul II, 1987, Mary has a precise place in salvation.

Mission of the Redeemer (Redemptoris Missio) John Paul II, 1991; the Church is compelled to spread the faith.

(1) Jesus Christ, Savior (2) The Realm of God (3) The Holy Spirit, Principal Agent of Mission (4) The Mission to All People

(5) The Paths of Mission (6) Workers in the Missionary Apostolate (7) Cooperation in Mission (8) Missionary Spirituality

Sollicitudo Rei Socialis, Pope John Paul II,1988, The Social Concerns of the Church.

Veritatis Splendor, Pope John Paul II addresses the Bishops onThe Splendor of Truth, 1993.

The Gospel of Life, Pope John Paul II, 1995, on abortion and euthanasia.

On Sirach: The early church made use of this book in presenting moral teaching to catechumens and to the faithful. The writer of the prologue (named Jesus) was a descendant of  a person named Sirach. The book is not accepted by Protestants or Jews as part of their scriptures, although the book has always been recognized by the Catholic Church as divinely inspired and canonical. The author was a sage who lived in Jerusalem long before Jesus Christ, and the book contains numerous maxims dealing with a variety of subjects such as the individual, the family, and the community in their relations with one another and with God. It treats of friendship, education, poverty and wealth, the law, religious worship, and many other matters which reflect the religious and social customs of the time. Sirach chapters 1-43 deal largely with moral instruction; Sirach 44:1-50:24 contains a eulogy of Israel’s heroes, patriarchs, and prophets. Written in Hebrew between 200 and 175 B.C., the text was translated into Greek sometime after 132 B.C. by the author’s grandson. (information from usccb link and  Sirach link)

Words of Truth: Just because I wrote something at one moment of my life that I felt to be true, that does not mean that it is true for every moment of my life, or true for your life, or true for all future and past generations. Likewise with Moses and other honored prophets,– they spoke the truth for their time under the inspiration of God’s Great Spirit. Would the God of all the earth and the universe withhold Holy Spirit from anyone who sincerely asked for it? Will not the Great Spirit let me speak good words if I open my inner being to Holy Spirit’s influence? And you, will you not contribute your own thought to find out what is truth?

from The First Sunday of Advent (2010) through The Solemnity of Christ the King (2011)

Readings and Femilies for The First Sunday of Advent - Year A starts Nov.28,2010

Reading 1 is from Isaiah 2:1-5

This is what Isaiah, son of Amos, saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. In the days to come, the mountain of the house of God shall be established as the highest mountain and raised above the hills. All nations shall stream toward it; many people shall come and say: “Come, let us climb the mountain of God, to the house of the God of Jacob, that God may instruct us in good ways, and that we may walk in holy paths.” For from Zion shall go forth instruction, and the word of God from Jerusalem. God shall judge between the nations and impose terms on many peoples. They shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks; one nation shall not raise the sword against another, nor shall they train for war any more. O house of Jacob, come, let us walk in God’s light!

Responsorial Psalm is #122:1-9 (to be sung or recited poetically)

Response: I rejoiced when I heard them say, let us go to God’s house.

I rejoiced when they said to me, “We will go to God’s house,”

And now we have set foot within your gates, O Jerusalem.

Response: I rejoiced when I heard them say, let us go to God’s house.

Jerusalem, built as a city with compact unity,

To it the tribes go up, the tribes of God Everlasting.

Response: I rejoiced when I heard them say, let us go to God’s house.

According to the decree for Israel, to give thanks to God’s name.

In it are set up judgment seats, seats for the house of David.

Response: I rejoiced when I heard them say, let us go to God’s house.

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem! May those who love you prosper!

May peace be within your walls, prosperity within your buildings.

Response: I rejoiced when I heard them say, “Let us go to God’s house.”

Reading 2 is from the Letter of Paul to the Romans 13:11-14

You know about the times in which we are living. It is now the hour for you to wake from sleep, for our salvation is closer than when we first accepted the faith. The night is far spent; the day draws near. Let us cast off the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us live honorably, as in daylight; not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual excess and lust, not in quarreling and jealousy. Rather, let us put on the Spirit of Jesus Christ and make no provision for the desires of the flesh.

Gospel is from Matthew 24:37-44

Jesus said to the disciples: “The coming of the God-Filled One will repeat what happened in Noah’s time. In the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and being married, right up to the day that Noah entered into the ark. They were totally unconcerned until the flood came and destroyed them. So will it be at the coming of the God-Filled One. Two people will be working in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. Two people will be grinding meal; one will be taken and one will be left. Stay awake, therefore! You cannot know the day when your Mentor will decide to arrive. Be sure of this, if the owner of the house knew at what hour the thief was coming, they would have kept a watchful eye and not allowed the house to be broken into. You must be prepared in the same way. The God-Filled One is coming at the time you least expect.

Femily: Reading from Encyclical, II. Peace and War #330.

“Peace is not merely the absence of war; nor can it be reduced solely to the maintenance of a balance of power between enemies; nor is it brought about by dictatorship. Instead, it is rightly and appropriately called an enterprise of justice. Peace results from that order structured into human society by its divine Founder, and actualized by persons as they thirst after ever greater justice. The common good of humanity finds its ultimate meaning in the eternal law. But since the concrete demands of this common good are constantly changing as time goes on, peace is never attained once and for all, but must be built up ceaselessly. Moreover, since the human will is unsteady and wounded by sin, the achievement of peace requires a constant mastering of passions and the vigilance of lawful authority. But this is not enough. This peace on earth cannot be obtained unless personal well being is safeguarded and persons freely and trustingly share with one another the riches of their inner spirits and their talents. A firm determination to respect other people and tribes and their dignity, as well as the studied practice of love of neighbor, are absolutely necessary for the establishment of peace. Hence, peace is likewise the fruit of love, which goes beyond what justice can provide. That earthly peace which arises from love of neighbor symbolizes and results from the peace of Christ which radiates from the Everlasting God. For by the cross the incarnate prince of peace reconciled all persons with God. By thus restoring all to the unity of one people and one body, Jesus Christ slew hatred in his own flesh; and, after being lifted on high by resurrection, this God-Filled One poured forth the spirit of love into the hearts of people. For this reason, all Christians are urgently summoned to do in love what the truth requires, and to join with all true peacemakers in pleading for peace and bringing it about. Motivated by this same spirit, we cannot fail to praise those who renounce the use of violence in the vindication of their rights and who resort to methods of defense which are otherwise available to weaker parties, too, provided this can be done without injury to the rights and duties of others or of the community itself. (Gaudium et Spes, n. 78)#331. Respect for and development of human life require peace. Peace is not merely the absence of war, and it is not limited to maintaining a balance of powers between adversaries. Peace cannot be attained on earth without safeguarding the goods of persons, free communication among men, respect for the dignity of persons and peoples, and the assiduous practice of fraternity. Peace is the tranquillity  of order (St. Augustine, De civ. Dei, IX.13.1). Peace is the work of justice and the effect of charity. (CCC, n. 2304)#332. Injustice, excessive economic or social inequalities, envy, distrust, and pride raging among people and nations constantly threaten peace and cause wars. Everything done to overcome these disorders contributes to building up peace and avoiding war. Insofar as humanbeings are sinners, the threat of war hangs over them and will so continue until Christ comes again; but insofar as they can vanquish sin by coming together in charity, violence itself will be vanquished and these words will be fulfilled: ‘they shall beat their swords into plow shares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore’ (Gaudium et Spes, n.78; see Isaiah 2:4). (Catechism of the Catholic Church, n. 2317). Non combatants, wounded soldiers, and prisoners must be respected and treated humanely. Actions deliberately contrary to the law of nations and to its universal principles are crimes, as are the orders that command such actions. Blind obedience does not suffice to excuse those who carry them out. Thus the extermination of a people, nation, or ethnic minority must be condemned as a mortal sin. One is morally bound to resist orders that command genocide.”

Catechism of the Catholic Church, n. 2313 states that non-combatants, wounded soldiers, and prisoners must be respected and treated humanely. The ruler of Iraq, Sadam Hussein, was accused by the U.S. leaders of many atrocities. Those who had him undergo the death penalty must search their consciences. A repeat of the Catechism of the Catholic Church is in order at this point. “Prisoners must be respected and treated humanely. … Actions deliberately contrary to the law of nations and to its universal principles are crimes, as are the orders that command such actions.”

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. God bless you on your journeying.

Readings and Femily for the Second Sunday of Advent - YearA-2010;2014,2018,etc.

Reading 1 is from Isaiah 11:1-10

On that day a shoot shall sprout from the root of Jesse, and from this sprout a bud shall blossom. God’s Good Spirit shall rest upon that person, a Spirit of wisdom and understanding, a Spirit of counsel and of strength, a Spirit of knowledge and of reverence for God. Not by appearance shall that person judge, nor by hearsay, decide; but that one shall judge the poor with justice, and decide aright for the land’s afflicted. The ruthless shall be turned aside by  words of wisdom, and by calmness and concern, the wicked will be transformed. Justice and faithfulness shall be the ruler’s robes. Then the wolf shall be the guest of the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; the calf and the young lion shall browse together, with a little child to guide them. The cow and the bear shall be neighbors; together their young shall rest. The lion shall eat hay like the ox. The baby shall play by the cobra’s den, and the child lay her hand on the adder’s lair. There shall be no harm or ruin on all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of God, as waters cover the sea. On that day, the Gentiles shall seek out the glorious dwelling of the root of Jesse, set up as a signal for the nations.

Responsorial Psalm is #72: 1-2, 7-8, 12-13, 17

Response: Justice shall flourish in that good time, and fullness of peace forever.

O God, with your judgment endow the ruler, and with your justice the ruler’s descendants.

Let them govern your people with justice, and your afflicted ones with judgment.

Response: Justice shall flourish in that good time, and fullness of peace forever.

Justice shall flower in those days, and profound peace, until the moon be no more.

May justice rule from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth.

Response: Justice shall flourish in that good time, and fullness of peace forever.

The poor shall be rescued when they cry out, and the afflicted, when they have no one to help them.

There will be pity for the lowly and the poor; the lives of the poor will be saved.

Response: Justice shall flourish in that good time, and fullness of peace forever.

May God’s name be blessed forever; as long as the sun, God’s name shall remain.

Under God shall all tribes of the earth be blessed; all the nations of the earth shall proclaim thankfulness to God.

Response: Justice shall flourish in that good time, and fullness of peace forever.

Reading 2 is from Romans 15:4-9

Everything written before our time was written for our instruction, that we might derive hope from the lessons of patience and the words of encouragement in the Scriptures. May God, the source of all patience and encouragement, enable you to live in perfect harmony with one another according to the spirit of our Rabbi Jesus, so that with one heart and voice you may glorify God, the Creator of our Messiah. Accept one another, then, as Christ accepted you, for the glory of God. Yes, I affirm that Christ became the servant of the Jews because of God’s faithfulness in fulfilling the promises to the patriarchs, whereas the Gentiles glorify God because of his mercy. As scripture has it, “Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles, and I will sing to your name.”

Gospel is from Matthew 3:1-12

When John the Baptizer made his appearance as a preacher in the desert of Judea, this was his theme: “Reform your lives! The reign of God is at hand.” It was of him that the prophet Isaiah had spoken when he said, “A herald’s voice in the desert: ‘Prepare the highway of God, make straight God’s paths.’” John was clothed in a garment of camel’s hair and wore a leather belt around his waist. Grasshoppers and wild honey were his food. At that time, Jerusalem, all Judea, and the whole region around the Jordan were going out to him. They were being baptized by him in the Jordan River as they confessed their sins. When he saw that many of the Pharisees and Sadducees were stepping forward for this cleansing, John said to them: “You brood of vipers! Who has shown you how to flee from the wrath to come? Give some evidence that you mean to reform. Do not pride yourselves on the claim, ‘Abraham is our father.’ I tell you, God can raise up children to Abraham from these very stones. Even now the ax is laid to the root of the tree. Every tree that is not fruitful will be cut down and cast into the fire. I baptize you with water for repentance, but the one who will follow me is more powerful than I. I am not even fit to carry his sandals. He it is who will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. His winnowing fan is in his hand. He will clear his threshing floor, and gather his grain into the barn, but the chaff he will burn in unquenchable fire.”

Femily: Isaiah’s Time and Our Time

The first reading (Isaiah 11:1-10) speaks about the descendant of Jesse. Jesse had many descendants, and we know that the one referred to here has been understood by many to be Jesus Christ. But Jesse must have had as many female descendants as male descendants, and it should not surprise us to think that the Holy Spirit might return to earth as a woman. A nice combination for a holy woman might include Isis, Mary, Joan Chittister, and Mother Teresa of Calcutta. I have known many women who were filled with a Spirit of counsel and understanding. Women could judge the people compassionately, with justice for their royal garments, and steadfast faithfulness for their belts.

But all people are required to promote the common good, not just women, and not just avatars. Perhaps we are all called to be avatars? The Catholic teaching, Justice in the World #38 tells us, “The members of the Church, as members of society, have the same right and duty to promote the common good as do other citizens. Christians ought to fulfil their temporal obligations with fidelity and competence. They should act as a leaven in the world, in their family, professional, social, cultural and political life.”

The Catholic teachings, V. The Universal Common Good #338, Pacem in Terris, n.139, inform us as to our duties and responsibilities as human beings. Human interdependence is increasing and gradually spreading throughout the world. The unity of the human family, embracing people who enjoy equal natural dignity, implies a universal common good. This good calls for an organization of the community of nations, able to provide for the different needs of people; this will involve the sphere of social life to which belong questions of food, hygiene, education … and certain situations arising here and there, as for example … alleviating the miseries of refugees dispersed throughout the world, and assisting migrants and their families (Gaudium et Spes,n.84). (Catechism of the Catholic Church,n. 1911) #339. Like the common good of individual states, so too the universal common good cannot be determined except by having regard for the human person. Therefore, the public and universal authority, too, must have as its fundamental objective the recognition, respect, safeguarding and promotion of the rights of the human person; this can be done by direct action when required, or by creating on a world scale, an environment in which leaders of individual countries can suitably maintain their own functions. (Pacem in Terris, n.139)

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. God bless you on your journeying.

Readings and Femily for the Third Sunday of Advent - YearA-2010;2014,2018,etc.

Reading 1 is from Isaiah 35:1-6,10

The desert and the parched land will exult; the steppe will rejoice and bloom. They will bloom with abundant flowers, and rejoice with joyful song. The glory of Lebanon will be given to them, the splendor of Carmel and Sharon; they will see the glory of the Creator, the splendor of our God. Strengthen the hands that are feeble; make firm the knees that are weak; say to those whose hearts are frightened: “Be strong! Fear not! Here is your God who comes with vindication, with divine recompense, coming to save you.” Then will the eyes of the blind be opened, the ears of the deaf be cleared; then will the lame leap like a stag; then the tongue of the dumb will sing. Those whom our God has ransomed will return and enter Zion singing, crowned with everlasting joy; they will meet with joy and gladness; sorrow and mourning will flee.

Responsorial Psalm is #146:6-10

Response: Everlasting God, come and save us.

Our God keeps faith forever, secures justice for the oppressed;

Gives food to the hungry. Our God sets captives free.

Response: Everlasting God, come and save us.

Our God gives sight to the blind; our God raises up those who are bowed down.

Our God loves the just; our God protects strangers.

Response: Everlasting God, come and save us.

The fatherless and the widow, our God sustains, but the way of the wicked, God thwarts.

Our God shall reign forever; our God, O Zion, for all generations.

Response: Everlasting God, come and save us.

Reading 2 is from James 5:7-10

Be patient, brothers and sisters, until the coming of the Christ. See how farmers await the precious yield of the soil. They looks forward to it patiently while the soil receives the winter and the spring rains. You, too, must be patient. Steady your hearts, because the coming of the Christ is at hand. Do not grumble against one another, brothers and sisters, lest you be condemned. See! The judge stands at the gate. As your models in suffering and hardships, and in patience, brothers and sisters, take the prophets who spoke in God’s name.

Gospel is from Matthew 11: 2-11

John in prison heard about the works Jesus performed, and sent a message through his disciples to ask Jesus, “Are you He who is to come, or do we look for another?” In reply, Jesus said to them, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see: the blind recover their sight, cripples walk, lepers are cured, the deaf hear, dead persons are raised to life, and the poor have the good news preached to them. Blest is the person who finds no stumbling block in me.” As the messengers set off, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John, “What did you go out to the wasteland to see:- a reed shaken in the wind? Tell me, what did you go out to see:- someone luxuriously dressed? Remember, those who dress luxuriously are to be found in royal palaces. Why then did you go out:- to see a prophet? A prophet indeed, and something more! It is about this person that scripture says, ‘I send my messenger ahead of you to prepare your way before you.’ I solemnly assure you, history has not known a person born of woman greater than John the Baptizer. Yet the least born into the Kingdom of God is greater than he.”

Femily on Healing of Cripples and Lepers, or Destruction by Armaments

IV. Arms 334. “We note the enormous stocks of armaments that have been and still are being made in more economically developed countries, with a vast outlay of intellectual and economic resources. And so it happens that, while the people of these countries are loaded with heavy burdens, other countries, as a result, are deprived of the collaboration they need in order to make economic and social progress. (Pacem in Terris, n. 109)335. “I was hungry and you gave me no food, naked and you did not clothe me, in prison and you did not visit me” (Matthew 25:42). These words become charged with even stronger warning, when we think that, instead of bread and cultural aid, the new States and nations awakening to independent life are being offered, sometimes in abundance, modern weapons and means of destruction placed at the service of armed conflicts and wars that are not so much a requirement for defending their just rights and their sovereignty, but rather a form of chauvinism, imperialism, and neocolonialism of one kind or another. (Redemptor Hominis, n.16)336. The teaching of the Catholic Church in this area has been clear and consistent. It has deplored the arms race, called nonetheless for mutual progressive and verifiable reduction of armaments as well as greater safeguards against possible misuse of these weapons. It has done so while urging that the independence, freedom, and legitimate security of each and every nation be respected. (Message to the Second Special Session of the United Nations for Disarmament, n. 5)337. An insane arms race swallowed up the resources needed for the development of national economies and for assistance to the less developed nations. Scientific and technological progress, which should have contributed to man’s well being, was transformed into an instrument of war: science and technology were directed to the production of ever more efficient and destructive weapons.”

Some earlier tribes believed that the goods of the earth belonged to God who had created them. They believed their leadership was inspired by God to collect and use these resources. This theory might have been acceptable if their leadership were ethically perfect and superior intellectually. However, it is easy to see that government officials, church leaders, and dictators get sidetracked into believing they are deserving of gold, glamour, and adulation. They get the notion that they must protect this overflow of wealth from other tribal leaders. Then we get arms races, nuclear weapons, and deprivation of the poor.

Governments justify wars against other governments that have valuable resources such as gold, oil, or rare earth metals. Innocent civilians and young idealistic soldiers are destroyed in the military process. The Gospel tells us there will come a time when lepers will be healed and cripples will walk. Of course our country is supplying prosthetic devices to those individuals whose limbs have been destroyed by land mines, but wouldn’t it be better to do preventive medicine, and not build and sell landmines? And what is the end purpose of nuclear weapons? Nuclear plants are targets for attack and produce waste that is dangerous to store.

Leadership can be led astray by the excitement of the moment. They may even get to believe they are infallible. It is the duty of the laity to speak common sense to those under such pressures. Internet facilities have become an important way for the masses to tell those in power just how they feel.

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. God bless you on your journeying.

Readings and Femily for the 4th Sunday of Advent - Year A-2010;2014,2018,etc.

Reading 1 is from Isaiah 6:8 to 7:3, 10-14

Isaiah heard the voice of God saying, “Whom shall I send? Who will go for us? Isaiah answered, “Here I am. Send me.” God sent Isaiah and his son Jasub to meet and reassure King Achaz. The message to Achaz: Ask for a sign from your God: let it be deep as the nether world or high as the sky! But Achaz answered, “I will not ask! I will not tempt God!” Then Isaiah said, “Listen, O House of David! Is it not enough for you to weary the people; must you also weary God? Therefore God himself will give you this sign: the virgin shall be with child, and bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel.”

Responsorial Psalm is #24:1-6

Response: Let the Great God enter within, for the Great God is all glorious.

The earth and its fullness belong to God; the world and they who dwell therein.

For God founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the rivers.

Response: Let the Great God enter within, for the Great God is all glorious.

Who can ascend the mountain of God, or who may stand in God’s holy place?

The person whose hands are sinless, whose heart is clean, who desires not what is vain.

Response: Let the Great God enter within, for the Great God is all glorious.

That person shall receive a blessing from the great God, a reward from the saving God.

Such is the race that seeks for God, that seeks the face of the God of Jacob.

Response: Let the Great God enter within, for the Great God is all glorious

Reading 2 is from Romans 1:1-7

Greetings from Paul, a servant of the Messiah Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart to proclaim the gospel of God which God promised long ago through the prophets, as the holy scriptures record— the gospel concerning the Messiah who was descended from David according to the flesh but was made a Son of God in power, according to the spirit, through the resurrection from the dead. Through this Messiah Jesus we have been favored with apostleship, that we may spread the gospel of Jesus and bring to obedient faith, all the Gentiles, among whom are you who have been called to belong to the Messiah Jesus. To all God’s beloved who are in Rome, called to be saints: grace be to you and peace that is to be found in God and in the Messiah Jesus.

Gospel is from Matthew 1:18-24

The origin of Jesus Christ came about in this manner. When his mother Mary was engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found with child through the Holy Spirit. Joseph, her husband, being an upright man and unwilling to expose her to the law of stoning, decided to divorce her quietly. Such was his intention when suddenly an angel from God appeared in a dream and said to him, “Joseph, son of David, have no fear about taking unto yourself Mary as your wife. It is by the Holy Spirit that she has conceived this child. She is to have a son and you are to name him Jesus because he will save the people from their sins. All this is to happen to fulfill what God spoke through the prophet: The virgin shall be with child and give birth to a son, and they shall call him Immanuel,” (a name which means ‘God is with us’.” When Joseph woke up, he did as God’s angel had commanded, and received Mary into his home as his wife.

Femily: Early Tales of Jesus

Even today if a woman is caught in adultery in the Near East, she can be stoned to death. Usually nothing is done about the man who attacked her. Our science today tells us that it takes two to make a baby. The scriptures are telling us in a polite way, that someone besides Joseph got Mary pregnant. Mary served in the temple, and may have been subjected to the whim of a male server in the temple. We are thankful to Joseph for preserving the lives of both Mary and Jesus. Even today the same situation has occasionally taken place in church communities brought on by a very small percent of priests, and a child may be raised by a generous and forgiving foster father.

There are mythical stories about the birth and childhood of Jesus, such as the apocryphal Gospel of Thomas. The author set down these stories about 200 years after Jesus’ birth. Jesus is reported to have been a wonderworker from birth. He spoke God’s praises early. He raised a neighborhood child from the dead. He knew more than his teachers. There is the song, where Jesus makes “sparrows out of clay, and blessed them till they flew away.” According to the apocryphal stories, Jesus was a handful to raise, and gave his foster father many problems. Joseph and Mary were both wonderful parents to bring up the energy-filled child Jesus to become the Savior of the world.

The names given to Jesus before his birth reflect his destiny. Jesus does mean Savior (from the Hindu), and Immanuel may mean God is with Us. However, some interpret the word Immanuel to mean that Jesus is God, which is one of many possible interpretations. Other related words such as the word immaculate, as applied to Mary, implies purity and grace. The word imam (meaning Muslim priest) ending with the syllable el which refers to god, does not automatically make the priest into God, but may imply that the person is pure like God, or godly.

Even today in the abortion situation, the woman is subjected to the blame for what happened. Presentday civilizations must find someway to make the man who fathered the unwanted child, more responsible. TV advertisements that encourage illicit sex should include publicity about results of what might happen from ungoverned sexual acts. The world has the problems of AIDS, unwanted babies, and overpopulation due to overemphasis on sex and its glorification.

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. God bless you on your journeying.

Gender-Equal Readings and Femily for Christmas Vigil - Dec.24, 2010; 2014, 2018, etc.

You also have a choice of Mass at Midnight, Mass at Dawn, Mass During the Day!! See Mark, Luke, & John years.

Reading 1 is from Isaiah 62:1-5

For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent, for Jerusalem’s sake I will not remain quiet, till her righteousness shines out like the dawn, her salvation like a blazing torch. The nations will see your righteousness, and all kings your glory; you will be called by a new name that the mouth of God will bestow. You will be a crown of splendor in the God’s hand, a royal diadem in the hand of your God. No longer will they call you Deserted, or name your land Desolate. But you will be called Hephzibah, and your land Beulah; for God will take delight in you, and your land will be married. As a young man marries a maiden, so will your sons marry you; as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so will your God rejoice over you.

Responsorial Psalm is #89:4-5, 16-17, 27, 29

Response: For ever I will sing the goodness of God.

I have made a covenant with my chosen one, I have sworn to David my servant:

“I will establish your line forever and make your throne firm through all generations.”

Response: For ever I will sing the goodness of God.

Happy the people who know the joyful shout; in the light of your countenance, O God, they walk.

They rejoice in your name all the day long; they exult in your righteousness.

Response: For ever I will sing the goodness of God.

With my sacred oil I have anointed the special one. I will also appoint that one my firstborn;

My covenant with them stands firm; I will maintain my kindness toward them forever.

Response: Forever I will sing the goodness of God.

Reading 2 is from Acts 13:16-17, 22-25

Standing up, Paul motioned with his hand and said: “People of Israel and you Gentiles who worship God, listen to me! The God of the people of Israel chose our ancestors, and made the people prosper during their stay in Egypt; with mighty power they were led out of that country. After removing Saul, David was made their king. God testified concerning him: ‘I have found David son of Jesse a person after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.’ From this person’s descendants God has brought to Israel the Savior Jesus, as was promised. Before the coming of Jesus, John preached repentance and baptism to all the people of Israel. As John was completing his work, he said: ‘Who do you think I am? I am not that one. No, but he is coming after me, whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.’”

Gospel is from Matthew 1:1-25

A record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ the son of David, the son of Abraham: Abraham was the father of Isaac,  Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, Judah the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar, Perez the father of Hezron, Hezron the father of Ram, Ram the father of Amminadab, Amminadab the father of Nahshon, Nahshon the father of Salmon, Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab, Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth, Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of King David. David was the father of Solomon, whose mother had been Uriah’s wife, Solomon the father of Rehoboam, Rehoboam the father of Abijah, Abijah the father of Asa, Asa the father of Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat the father of Jehoram, Jehoram the father of Uzziah, Uzziah the father of Jotham, Jotham the father of Ahaz, Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, Manasseh the father of Amon, Amon the father of Josiah, and Josiah the father of Jeconiah and his brothers at the time of the exile to Babylon. After the exile to Babylon: Jeconiah was the father of Shealtiel, Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel, Zerubbabel the father of Abiud, Abiud the father of Eliakim, Eliakim the father of Azor, Azor the father of Zadok, Zadok the father of Akim, Akim the father of Eliud, Eliud the father of Eleazar, Eleazar the father of Matthan, Matthan the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ. Thus there were fourteen generations in all from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the exile to Babylon, and fourteen from the exile to the Christ.

This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. But after he had considered this, an angel of God appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what God had said through the prophet: “The virgin will be with child and will give birth, and they will call the child Immanuel—which means, God with us. When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of God had commanded and took Mary home as his wife. But he had no union with her until she gave birth. And Joseph gave the child the name Jesus.

Femily: Before the Birth of Christ

We are celebrating the Feast of Christmas. What went on in the world before the time of Jesus’ birth? The first twenty verses of Matthew give us the genealogy of Jesus. Matthew’s genealogy differs from the one given in Luke. In Matthew female ancestry is represented by Tamar, Ruth, Mary, and the wife of Uriah. This is an acknowledgment on the part of scribes that women do contribute their genes to the person of Jesus.

What religions were being followed in the world before the time of Jesus? Jesus was not born into a Christian world. Mary and Joseph were practicing members of a Jewish sect. Astronomers (or were they astrologers) who may have been Buddhists or Hindus, came on camels to give reverence to the baby Jesus. Songs were sung by the angels, but they were not Silent Night or Away in a Manger. They may have been pagan songs to celebrate a solar festival of lights. Some of the carols we sing today such as The Twelve Days of Christmas and Jingle Bells may have been sung to welcome the return of the sun from its standstill in the southern sky. Is there any mention of Jesus in the Jingle Bells carol? Why are there twelve days of Christmas? Is there any mention of Jesus in the Twelve Days of Christmas? Why do we cheerily sing about ‘five golden rings’?

The Baby Jesus was not born into a world that was anxious to receive him. The populations did not hear about this eventful coming until hundreds of years later. The shepherds went back to their sheep, and the wise men returned to their kingdoms. Today we sing about this Baby that came with a message of love, and we send soldiers off to war to kill each other. We send drones laden with bombs to destroy civilians— men, women, and children. We teach young people how to kill each other and how to commit terrorist acts. Before the wonderful birth there were religious groups and people who dreamed of peaceful times. After the birth there is still the need for people to talk about ways to bring peace to earth.

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. Ask for special healings for those who need to forgive others.

Readings and Femily for Sunday within the Octave, Feast of the Holy Family - YearA, 2010,2014,2018,etc.

Reading 1 is from Sirach 3:2-6,12-14

God sets mothers and fathers in honor over their children; the authority of a mother or father is confirmed by their daughters and sons. They who honor their father atone for sins; they store up riches who revere their mother. Those who honor their father are gladdened by children, and when they pray, they are heard. Those who revere their father will live a long life; those who obey the laws of God give comfort to their mother. My children, take care of your father when he is old; grieve him not as long as he lives. Even if his mind fail, be considerate of him; revile him not in the fullness of your strength. For kindness to a father will not be forgotten; it will serve as a sin offering—it will take lasting root.

Responsorial Psalm is #128:1-5

Response: Happy are those who fear God and walk in God’s ways.

Happy are you who fear God and walk in God’s ways.

For you shall eat the fruit of your handiwork; happy shall you be, and favored.

Response: Happy are those who fear God and walk in God’s ways.

Your spouse shall be like a fruitful vine in the recesses of your home;

Your children like olive plants around your table.

Response: Happy are those who fear God and walk in God’s ways.

Behold, thus is the person blessed who fears our God.

God will bless you from Zion: may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem all the days of your life.

Response: Happy are those who fear God and walk in God’s ways.

Reading 2 from Colossians 3:12-21

Because you are God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with heartfelt mercy, with kindness, meekness, and patience. Bear with one another; forgive whatever grievances you have against one another. Forgive as God has forgiven you. Over all these virtues, put on love, which binds the rest together and makes them perfect. Christ’s peace must reign in your hearts, since as members of the one body you have been called to that peace. Dedicate yourselves to thankfulness. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly. In wisdom made perfect, instruct and admonish one another. Sing gratefully to God in your hearts in psalms, hymns, and inspired songs. Whatever you do, whether in speech or in action, do it in the name of Jesus Christ. Give thanks to the Creator God through him. Wives and husbands, be submissive to each other. Love each other, and avoid bitterness. Children, obey your parents in everything as the acceptable way Jesus taught. Parents, do not nag your children lest they lose heart.

Gospel is from Matthew 2:13-15, 19-23

After the astrologers had left, an angel suddenly appeared to Joseph in a dream with the command: “Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee into Egypt. Stay there until I tell you otherwise. Herod is searching for the child to destroy him.” Joseph got up and took the child and his mother and left that night for Egypt. He stayed there until the death of Herod, to fulfill what was prophesied: “Out of Egypt I have called my son.” But after Herod’s death, God’s angel appeared to Joseph in a dream with the command, “Get up, take the child and his mother, and set out for the land of Israel. Those who had designs on the life of the child are dead.” Joseph got up, took the child and his mother, and returned to the land of Israel. He heard, however, that Archelaus had succeeded his father Herod as king of Judea, and he was afraid to go back there. Instead, because of a warning received in a dream, Joseph went to the region of Galilee. There he settled in a town called Nazareth. In this way what was said through the prophets was fulfilled: “He shall be called a Nazorean.”

Femily on Happiness: Are You Happy?

The readings tell us that those who follow God’s way are happy people. In order to be happy, we are to be thankful. We are to let the word of Christ dwell in us richly. We are to forgive as God has forgiven us. How can we make the whole world happy? If we listen to the leading of the Pope, will we be making a happy world? Are our actions making a highway for the Good Spirit to travel, as she sweeps into human hearts?

Here are some papal thoughts on International Organizations.

I. Transnational and International Organizations (340). It is therefore our ardent desire that the United Nations Organization in its structure and in its means may become ever more equal to the magnitude and nobility of its tasks, and may the time come as quickly as possible when every human being will find therein an effective safeguard for the rights which derive directly from their dignity as people, and which are therefore universal, inviolable, and inalienable rights. This is all the more to be hoped for since all human beings, as they take an ever more active part in the public life of their own country, are showing an increasing interest in the affairs of all peoples, and are becoming more consciously aware that they are living members of the whole human family. (from Pacem in Terris, n. 145)(#341). International collaboration on a worldwide scale requires institutions that will prepare, coordinate and direct it, until finally there is established an order of justice which is universally recognized. With all our heart, We encourage these organizations which have undertaken this collaboration for the development of the peoples of the world, and our wish is that they grow in prestige and authority. Your vocation, as we said to the representatives of the United Nations in New York, is to bring not some people but all peoples to treat each other as sisters and brothers…. (Populorum Progressio, n. 78)#342. Since the relationships between countries today are closer in every region of the world, by reason of science and technology, it is proper that peoples become more and more interdependent. Accordingly, contemporary problems of the moment whether in the fields of science and technology, or of economic and social affairs, or of public administration, or of cultural advancement, these, because they may exceed the capacities of individual states, very often affect a number of nations and, at times, all the nations of the earth. As a result, individual countries, although advanced in culture and civilization, in number and industry of citizens, in wealth, in geographical extent, are not able by themselves to resolve satisfactorily their basic problems. Accordingly, because states must on occasion complement or perfect one another, they really consult their own interests only when they take into account at the same time the interests of others. Hence, dire necessity warns commonwealths to cooperate among themselves and provide mutual assistance. (Mater et Magistra, nn. 200 202)#343. But it is necessary to go still further. At Bombay, we called for the establishment of a great World Fund, to be made up of part of the money spent on arms, to relieve the most destitute of this world (Paul VI, Message to the World, Entrusted to Journalists). What is true of the immediate struggle against want, holds good also when there is a question of development. Only worldwide collaboration, of which a common fund would be both means and symbol, will succeed in overcoming vain rivalries and in establishing a fruitful and peaceful exchange between peoples. (Populorum Progressio, n.51)

Re-emphasizing a part of the above reading that says that ‘states must on occasion complement or perfect one another, they really consult their own interests only when they take into account at the same time the interests of others. Hence, dire necessity warns commonwealths to cooperate among themselves and provide mutual assistance.’ The same warning applies to individual people; we are to share our resources with one another, or the poor will rise up and rob the rich to acquire the goods necessary for life. Individual people are also to share when confronted by other people in need. In our presentday world with its Internet capabilities, we are given a view of all the needy around the world. We can suffer with the oppressed and homeless. We can rejoice when the miners in Chile are released.

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. Ask for special healings for those who need to forgive others.

Femily and Readings for Solemnity of Mary – New Year’s Day, One Week after Christmas, Year A – Jan.1,2011;2015

Reading 1 is from Numbers 6:22-27

God said to Moses: “Speak to Aaron and his sons and tell them: ‘This is how you shall bless the Israelites. Say to them: God bless you and keep you. God let his face shine upon you, and be gracious to you. May God look upon you kindly and give you peace.’ So shall you invoke my name upon the Israelites, and I will bless them.”

Responsorial Psalm is #67:2-3, 5-6, 8

Response: May God bless us with mercy.

May God have pity on us and bless us; may God’s face shine on us.

So may your way be known upon earth; upon all nations, your salvation.

Response: May God bless us with mercy.

May the nations be glad and exult because you rule the peoples in equity;

The nations on earth, you guide.

Response: May God bless us with mercy.

May the peoples praise you, O God; may all the peoples praise you!

May God bless us, and may all the ends of the earth fear God!

Response: May God bless us with mercy.

Reading 2 from Galatians 4:4-7

When the designated time had come, God sent forth a special person born of a woman, born under the law, to deliver from the law those who were subjected to it, so that we might receive our status as adopted daughters and sons. The proof that you are daughters and sons is the fact that God has sent forth into our hearts the Spirit which cries out Abba (Beloved Creator). You are no longer a slave but an honored person! And the fact that you are so honored makes you an heir, by God’s design.

Gospel of Luke 2:16-21

The shepherds went in haste to Bethlehem and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in the manger; once they saw, they understood what had been told them concerning this child. All who heard it were astonished at the report given them by the shepherds. Mary treasured all these things and reflected on them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, in accord with what had been told them.

Femily on Supporting the Vulnerable and the Documents of the United Nations

A little baby such as Jesus, is a very vulnerable humanbeing. Babies need a loving mother and father to care for them. All of us earthlings are quite vulnerable. We need the help of heaven to exist. But God loves us and supports us. God supported the missions of John and of Jesus. God will support our mission work, especially if we are determined to help others.

If you help to ratify the United Nations’ documents, you will help vulnerable people all over the earth. There are many U.N. documents supporting the vulnerable. The U.N. sets ideals for all of us, both rights and responsibilities, the right to basic needs; food, water, clean air, education, housing; the duty for those in power to supply those necessities to others; and to hold one’s baser instincts in check. The U.N. urges development for all, fulfillment for all people, such as advancement for women and rehabilitation for the incarcerated. How can this be achieved for the vulnerable! We must study about the documents and communicate the ideals therein to those who govern us.

Articles of the U.N. Declaration of Human Rights: (1) Act in a spirit of loving community. (2) No distinctions such as race, property, or politics. (3) Right to life and liberty. (4) No slavery. (5) No torture. (6,7) Justice. (8) Remedies. (9) No arbitrary arrest, detention, or exile. (10) Fair and public hearing. (11) Innocent until proved guilty. (12) Privacy, honor, family. (13) Freedom of movement between countries. (14) Right to asylum. (15) Right to nationality. (16) Marriage. (17) Property. (18) Freedom of thought, religion. (19) Freedom of opinion. (20) Peaceful assembly. (21 )Voting. (22) Social security. (23) Right to work and a just wage. (24) Rest and leisure. (25) A just standard of living. (26) Education. (27) Culture. (28-30) Rights and duties for everyone.

But there are sore spots for the vulnerable. U.N. ideals are ignored when (DU) Depleted Uranium-filled drones are driven in Afghanistan by controllers in Las Vegas NM. How socially and culturally defunct!! These U.N. ideals are ignored when Jewish settlers do not allow Muslims to have their call to prayer. The U.S.-Jewish lobby does not understand that burning Muslim harvests is senseless and that bulldozing homes and olive trees deprives people of their basic needs. Four billion each year goes recklessly from the United States to Israel to buy war supplies to bomb Palestinians. Congress pays little heed as if it did not know what horrors lurk in budgets that fuel war. We want a Congress that values people over corporations. Surely, it is clear that giving corporations their wishes can sway results disastrously. Lobbying by the rich is bad for the living. People are too busy with their consumerist merry-go-rounds. They do not notice that we’re going backwards in our evolution. We have not given prisoners the vote. We have not given healing to the poor. We have not given marginals and immigrants, due respect. We forgot about social development and education for prisoners, for those deprived, and for the mentally ill. We did not promote solidarity and interaction between rich and poor or use a trickle-up philosophy. We used peacekeepers with guns, not peacemakers with consensus and kindness.

How could we believe that the best way to fight terrorism was to incite ethnic hatreds and imprison others!

How could we follow a charismatic leader into a war when his only reason was to topple another leader whose power he resented and whose deeds he did not approve!

How could we terrorize the innocent with our weaponry destroying their property and driving them to looting!

How could we be blinded into believing our leaders could save the world from destruction when they were calling for volunteers from our young people to bomb and destroy another part of God’s world!

How could we believe that we were a chosen people when, in reality, all people are God’s chosen people!

How could we believe that we justly deserved our land and that we had more rights to the goods of the earth!

How could we believe that it was more noble and just to throttle and punish than to compassionately forgive!

How could we give the legacy of a broken, battered world to our beloved children and to the children of the nations when we could have been building the earth!

How could we let our greed for material power deprive others of their rightful share of an abundant earth!

How could we order more bombs from munitions companies when we have already destroyed too much!

How could we believe that the end justifies the means and use war and violence and retaliation when we could have used mediation and understanding!

How could we not recognize the difference between good and evil!

Forgive us, for we were blinded by our fears! We did not recognize what we were doing!

There are actions we could take to help the vulnerable. What can the people of the United States do to save the earth and inspire other nations onward on their Human Rights agendas? We could give women political office so as to insure gender equality in the Supreme Court, lower courts, and Congress. We could recognize the rights of every individual to fair justice; and exclude all forms of rape, torture, and abuse. (Article 5) We could give a fair and public hearing for detainees at Guantanamo (Article 10); transform Guantanamo into a place of religious and ethical understanding; give rights to immigrants (Article 14,15); use alternatives to prison that restore harmony in the community, rather than foster brutal punishment. (Article 25); limit the spread of communicable diseases due to overcrowding, lack of sanitation, or medical neglect; recognize that the majority of persons in the world’s places of detention are redeemable as productive citizens; keep guns away from children everywhere; expose and eliminate the slave trade; clean up the media; program the Internet with wisdom; let cell phones build up friendships; form just communities.

Who will help the vulnerable in such a top-down and bottom-up action? Each one of us can.

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Think about the documents published by the United Nations, and their relationship to our duties and responsibilities on this earth. Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. Ask for special healings for those who need to forgive others.

Readings and Femily for the Second Sunday after Christmas - Year A, 2011,2015,2019,etc.

Reading 1 from Sirach 24:1-4,8-12

Wisdom sings her own praises; before her own people, she proclaims her glory. In the assembly of the Most High she opens her mouth. In the presence of the angels, she declares her worth: “From the mouth of the Most High I came forth and mistlike covered the earth. In the highest heavens did I dwell, my throne a pillar of cloud. Then the Creator of all gave me the command, and God who formed me chose the spot for my tent, saying: ‘In Jacob make your dwelling; in Israel, your inheritance.’ Before all ages, in the beginning, God created me, and through all ages I shall not cease to be. In the holy tent I ministered before God, and in Zion I fixed my abode. Thus in the chosen city God has given me a place of rest; in Jerusalem is my domain. I have struck root among the glorious people, in that portion of God’s heritage.”

Responsorial Psalm is #147:12-15, 19-20

Response: The Wisdom of God became human and lived among us.

Glorify God, O Jerusalem! Praise your God, O Zion!

For God has strengthened the bars of your gates; God has blessed your children within you.

Response: The Wisdom of God became human and lived among us.

God has granted peace in your borders; God fills you with the best of wheat.

God sends forth commands to all the earth; swiftly runs God’s word.

Response: The Wisdom of God became human and lived among us.

God has proclaimed the living word to Jacob, statutes and ordinances to the children of Israel.

God’s word spreads beyond to other nations; swiftly runs God’s word.

Response: The Wisdom of God became human and lived among us.

Reading 2 from Ephesians 1:3-6, 15-18

Praise be to the God and Abba of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has bestowed on us (through the message of Christ) every spiritual blessing in the heavens! We were chosen before the world began to be holy and blameless in God’s sight, to be full of love; God likewise predestined us to be adopted children— such was God’s will and pleasure— that all might praise the divine favor which has been bestowed on us through Jesus, God’s Beloved. For my part, from the time I first heard of your faith in Jesus and your love for all the members of the church, I have never stopped thanking God for you and recommending your projects in my prayers. May the God of Jesus Christ, the God of Glory, grant you a spirit of wisdom and insight to know wisdom clearly. May God enlighten your innermost vision that you may know the great hope to which you have been called, and the wonders of the glorious heritage to be distributed among the members of the church.

Gospel is from Matthew 25:1-13

Jesus told this parable to his disciples: “The reign of God can be likened to ten bridesmaids who took their torches and went out to welcome the groom. Five of them were wise and five were foolish. The foolish ones, in taking their torches, brought no oil along, but the sensible ones took flasks of oil as well as their torches. The groom delayed his coming, so they all began to nod, then to fall asleep. At midnight someone shouted, ‘The groom is here! Come out and greet him!’ At the outcry all the virgins woke up and got their torches ready. The foolish ones said to the sensible, ‘Give us some of your oil. Our torches are going out.’ But the sensible ones replied, ‘No, there may not be enough for you and us. You had better go to the dealers and buy yourselves some.’ While they went off to buy it, the groom arrived, and the ones who were ready went off to the wedding with him. Then the door was barred. Later the other bridesmaids came. They called, ‘Master! Master! Open the door for us,’ But he answered, ‘I tell you, I do not know you.’ The moral is: keep your eyes open, for you do not know the day or the hour of your celebration.”

Gospel of John 2:1-12

Three days later Mary the Mother of Jesus was at a wedding feast in the village of Cana in Galilee. Jesus and his disciples had also been invited and were there. When the wine was all gone, Mary said to Jesus, “They don’t have any more wine.” Jesus replied, “Mother, my time has not yet come! You must not tell me what to do.” Mary then said to the servants, “Do whatever Jesus tells you to do.” At the feast there were six stone water jars that were used by the people for washing themselves in the way that their religion prescribed. Each jar held about thirty gallons. Jesus told the servants to fill them to the top with water. Then after the jars had been filled, he said, “Now take some water and give it to the person in charge of the feast.” The servants did as Jesus told them, and the man in charge drank some of the water that was made wine. He did not know where it had come from, but the servants did. He called the bridegroom over and said to him, “The best wine is always served first. Then after the guests have had plenty, the other wine is served. But you have kept the best until last.” This was Jesus first miracle, and he did it in the village of Cana in Galilee. There Jesus showed his glory and his disciples put their faith in him. After this, he went with his mother, his brothers, and his disciples to the town of Capernaum, where they stayed awhile.

Femily: Two Wedding Stories and Thoughts on War

Weddings back then as portrayed in the two gospel readings showed customs similar to the weddings of today. There were bridesmaids and the wine flowed freely. People who run out of gas, and don’t make it to the wedding on time, are very upset with themselves when they arrive late. People who have too much wine, also miss out on the spiritual side of the wedding ceremony. Some people miss out on the spiritual side of their whole existence. This can be through lack of education, or being brought up in a decadent environment. How can we help those people?

Some people consider weightier matters of war and peace as too far above them to concern them, but every Christian should become acquainted with the Encyclicals of the Church, perhaps in small doses. Here are readings from the 1981 War and Peace Encyclical. Most political leaders haven’t given serious thought to these documents: War and Peace from the Handbook of Catholic Social Teaching.

Question 1. What is the Catholic attitude toward war? Several quotes from Catholic documents give the answer:

“The Church’s teaching on war and peace establishes a strong presumption against war which is binding on all.” from U.S. Bishops, The Challenge of Peace (1983)70.

“War is the most barbarous and least effective way of resolving conflicts.” from Pope John Paul II, 1982 World Day of Peace Message.

“The Church cannot accept violence, especially the force of arms—which is uncontrollable once it is let loose—and indiscriminate death as the path to liberation, because she knows that violence always provokes violence and irresistibly engenders new forms of oppression and enslavement which are often harder to bear than those from which they claimed to bring freedom.” from Pope Paul VI, On Evangelization in the Modern World (1975)37.

“No more war; war never again! Peace, it is peace which must guide the destinies of people and of all mankind.” from Pope Paul VI, Address to the United Nations General Assembly (1965)5.

“We call in season and out of season for the international community to turn from war and to do the works of peace. The primary obligation of the nuclear age is to banish resort-to-force from the daily affairs of nations and peoples. From Pius XII to John Paul II the cry of the Church and the prayer of all believers is a reiteration of the words of Paul VI: ‘No more war; war never again!’ This must remain our primary response to war today.” from U.S. Bishops. Statement on Registration and Conscription for Military Service (1980)3.

Question 5. Is nuclear deterrence an acceptable policy? The nations seem to feel that threatening each other with the use of nuclear weapons is the ideal way to deal with violence in the world. Any sane person knows that nuclear weapons can burn and destroy our present day civilizations. We have a quote from John Paul II:

“In current conditions ‘deterrence’ based on balance, certainly not as an end in itself but as a step on the way toward a progressive disarmament, may still be judged morally acceptable. Nonetheless in order to ensure peace, it is indispensable not to be satisfied with this minimum which is always susceptible to the real danger of explosion.” Pope John Paul II, Message to the U.N. Special Session (1982)3.

Another quote from the U.S. Bishops, The Challenge of Peace (1983)188. “(1)If nuclear deterrence exists only to prevent the use of nuclear weapons by others, then proposals to go beyond this to planning for prolonged periods of repeated nuclear strikes and counter-strikes, or ‘prevailing’ in nuclear war, are not acceptable. (2)If nuclear deterrence is our goal, ‘sufficiency’ to deter is an adequate strategy; the quest for nuclear superiority must be rejected. (3)Nuclear deterrence should be used as a step on the way toward progressive disarmament. Each proposed addition to our strategic system or change in strategic doctrine must be assessed precisely in light of whether it will render steps toward ‘progressive disarmament’ more or less likely.”

Nations threatening other nations with their nuclear superiority do not encourage peaceful collaboration. Even using nuclear power for electrical energy threatens the environments of those nations who put up cooling towers on their rivers. Solar energy is more environmentally acceptable. Thinking back to the wedding ceremonies, solar power makes for happier families than nuclear power.

To get back to the reading about Wisdom residing in Jerusalem, it is true that Jerusalem has become known as a holy city, and the birthplace of the Christian beliefs. May Wisdom continue to reside in Jerusalem and in those who govern in that part of our world.

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. Ask for special healings for those who need to forgive others.

Sunday between January 2 and January 8, or January 6, Epiphany - Year A, 2011,2015,2019,etc.

Reading 1 from Isaiah 60:1-6

Rise up in splendor, Jerusalem; your light has come! The glory of our God shines upon you. See, darkness covers the earth, and thick clouds cover the peoples; but upon you the light shines, and over you appears God’s glory. Nations will walk by your light, and rulers by your shining radiance. Raise your eyes and look about you; they all gather and come to you. Your sons come from afar, and your daughters in the company of their nurses. Then you shall be radiant in what you see; your heart shall throb and overflow, for the riches of the sea shall be emptied out before you. The wealth of the nations shall be brought to you. Caravans of camels shall fill you, dromedaries from Midian and Ephah; all from Sheba shall come bearing gold and frankincense, and proclaiming the praises of our God.

Responsorial Psalm is #72:1-2, 7-8, 10-13

Response: Loving Energy, every nation on earth will adore you!

O God, with your judgment endow the ruler, and with your justice, those who attend the ruler.

Let the ruler govern the people with justice; and treat with kindness the afflicted ones.

Response: Loving Energy, every nation on earth will adore you!

Justice shall flower in those days, and profound peace till the moon be no more.

May the ruler reign from sea to sea and from the *River to the ends of the earth.

Response: Loving Energy, every nation on earth will adore you!

The rulers of Tarshish and the Isles shall offer gifts; the rulers of Arabia and Seba shall bring tribute.

All rulers shall pay homage, all nations shall serve peace and justice.

Response: Loving Energy, every nation on earth will adore you!

(*The River = E-gypt; E = the important one; gypt = river; perhaps this Psalm came out of Egypt.)

Reading II from the letter of Paul to the Ephesians 3:2-3,5-6

I am sure you have heard of the ministry which God out of goodness gave me in your regard. God’s secret plan as I have briefly described it, was revealed to me, unknown to the people of former ages but now revealed by the Spirit to the holy apostles and prophets. It is no less than this: in Christ Jesus the Gentiles are now co-heirs with the Jews, members of the same body and sharers of the promise through the preaching of the Gospel.

Gospel from Matthew 2:1-12

After Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem of Judea during the reign of King Herod, astrologers from the East arrived one day in Jerusalem inquiring, “Where is the newborn ruler of the Jews? We observed the rising of a significant star, and we have come to give homage.” At this news King Herod became greatly disturbed, and with him all Jerusalem. Summoning all the chief priests and the scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. “In Bethlehem of Judea,” they informed him, “Here is what the prophet has written: “And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, are by no means least among the princes of Judah, since from you shall come a ruler who is to shepherd my people Israel.” Herod called the astrologers aside and found from them the exact time of the star’s appearance. Then he sent them to Bethlehem, after having instructed them: “Go and get detailed information about the child. When you have discovered something, report your findings to me, so that I may go and offer him homage too.” After their audience with Herod, they set out. The star which they had observed at its rising went ahead of them until it came to a standstill over the place where the child was. They were overjoyed at seeing the star, and on entering the house, found the child with Mary his mother. They prostrated themselves and did him homage. Then they opened their coffers and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

Femily on Jews, Palestinians, Gentiles, and the Rest of Us

When Jesus was offended by the sellers of merchandise in the Jerusalem temple, he made a scourge of small cords, and chased the animals and their owners off of the sacred precincts. His command to “get those animals out of the sanctuary,” reminds me of John Paul II and his assistants, saying (privately to those Catholic organizations that had women in their seminaries), “Get those women out of the seminary!” I don’t hold it against John Paul II, as he had the difficult job of keeping male authority in the church. However, John Paul didn’t have enough faith to see that if the temple were destroyed (the temple being the worship place of the truth), it would rise again, as love is the foundation of the universe. Even though the church suffers corruption due to male authority, the earth and all that dwell in it, will still belong to God. But a Pope has to call the shots as he sees the situation; not as I see the situation.

Does God dwell in the temple built by the hands of humanbeings? Does God dwell in the hearts of humanbeings, or does God dwell only in select humanbeings such as the Pope, other world leaders, and those in authority? I shudder when I think of the tremendous responsibility put on the shoulders of prelates and presidents.

However, doesn’t some responsibility lie on the shoulders of all of us? Women, too, must call the shots as they see the situation. If Epiphany, or God revealing Godself in us, belongs to everyone, something is required of us. We are not to submit to the rule of untruth.

If God reveals Godself in Jesus Christ and in us, how can we explain the hatred and immorality that covers the earth? Why do we have war? Why do we kill other people? We may get some answers if we consult a papal encyclical such as War and Peace from the Handbook of Catholic Social Teaching.

Question 7. Why is the arms race immoral?

“The arms race is a threat to the human’s highest good, which is life; it makes poor peoples and individuals yet more miserable, while making richer those already powerful; it creates a continuous danger of conflagration, and in the case of nuclear arms, it threatens to destroy all life from the face of the earth.” Synod of Bishops, Justice in the World (1971)9. “The arms race is an utterly treacherous trap for humanity, and one which ensnares the poor to an intolerable degree.” Vatican II, Church in the Modern World (1965)81. “The arms race is to be condemned as a danger, an act of aggression against the poor, and a folly which does not provide the security it promises.” U.S. Bishops, The Challenge of Peace (1983)128.

Question 15. What is the relationship between peace and justice?

“Justice is always the foundation of peace.” U.S. Bishops, The Challenge of Peace (1983)60. “If you want peace, work for justice.” Pope Paul VI, World Day of Peace Message(1972). “Commitment to justice must be closely linked with commitment to peace in the modem world.” Pope John Paul II, On Human Work (1981)2. “It does no good to work for peace as long as feelings of hostility, contempt and distrust, as well as racial hatred and unbending ideologies, continue to divide people and place them in opposing camps.” Vatican II, Church in the Modern World (1965)82.

Racial hatred and unbending ideologies continue to divide people and place them in opposing camps. Many there are who refuse to see or hear the words of Jesus. Many there are who do not believe in the goodness that is in themselves.

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. Ask for special healings for those who lead nations and religious bodies.

Ordinary Time starts after Epiphany. The first part includes January 6 (Epiphany) and the Baptism of Jesus and goes through Ash Wednesday. Thus the Baptism of Jesus may be considered as the First Sunday in Ordinary Time.

The second part of Ordinary Time begins the day after Pentecost and ends just before the First Sunday of Advent. The use of these ordinary Sundays depends on the placement of Easter.

Sunday after January 6, the Baptism of Jesus, First Sunday Ordinary Time - Year A, 2011,2015,2019,etc.

Reading 1 from Isaiah 42:1-7

Here is my servant whom I uphold, my chosen one with whom I am pleased, upon whom I have put my spirit. *She  shall bring forth justice to the nations, not crying out, not shouting, not making her voice heard in the street. A bruised reed she shall not break, and a smoldering wick she shall not quench, until she establishes justice upon the earth; the coastlands shall wait for her teaching. I, the Just and Loving God, have called you for the victory of justice; I have grasped you by the hand; I formed you and set you as a covenant of the people, a light for the nations, to open the eyes of the blind, to bring out prisoners from confinement, and from the dungeons, those who live in darkness.

*Please understand that the use of the gender pronouns she and her also may contain the possible meaning of the masculine pronouns, he, him, and his.

Responsorial Psalm is #29:1-4; 3:9-10

Response: The Just God will bless all peoples with peace.

Give to the Just God, you sons and daughters of God, give to the Just God, glory and praise.

Give to the Just God the glory due God’s name. Adore your God dressed in holy attire.

Response: The Just God will bless all peoples with peace.

The voice of God is over the waters, the voice of the Just God, over vast waters.

The voice of the Just God is mighty. The voice of the Just God is majestic.

Response: The Just God will bless all peoples with peace.

The God of Glory thunders, and in God’s temple all shout, “Glory.”

Our God is enthroned above the flood; the Just God is enthroned as ruler forever.

Response: The Just God will bless all peoples with peace.

Reading 2 from Acts 10:34-38

Peter addressed Cornelius and the people assembled at his house in these words: “I begin to see how true it is that God shows no partiality. Rather, the person of any nation who fears God and acts uprightly is acceptable to God. This is the message that has been sent to the children of Israel, ‘the Good News of peace’ proclaimed by Jesus Christ who is above all. I take it you know what has been reported all over Judea concerning Jesus of Nazareth, beginning in Galilee with the baptism John preached, of the way God anointed Jesus with the Holy Spirit and with power. Jesus went about doing good works and healing all who were in misery, and God was with him.

Gospel from Matthew 3:13-17

Jesus, coming from Galilee, appeared before John at the Jordan, to be baptized by him. John tried to refuse him with the protest, “I should be baptized by you, yet you come to me!” Jesus answered, “Give in for now. We must do this if we would fulfill all of God’s demands.” So John gave in. After Jesus was baptized, he came directly out of the water. Suddenly the sky opened and he saw the Spirit of God descend like a dove and hover over him. With that, a voice from the heavens said, “This is my beloved Son. My favor rests on him.”

Gospel from John 3:1-12

There was a woman named Nicodemia who was the wife of a Jewish leader. One day she went to Jesus and said, “Rabbi, we know that God has sent you to teach us. You could not work these miracles unless God were with you.” Jesus replied, “I tell you for certain that you must be born from above before you can see God’s realm!” Nicodemia asked, “How can a grown person ever be born a second time?” Jesus answered: “I tell you for certain, that before you can get into God’s realm, you must be born not only by water, but by God’s Spirit. Humans give life to their children, yet only God’s Spirit can change you into a child of God. Don’t be surprised when I say to you that you must be born from above. Only God’s Spirit gives new life. The Spirit is like the wind that blows wherever it wants to blow. You can hear the wind, but you don’t know where it is coming from or where it is going.” “How can this be?” Nicodemia asked. Jesus replied, “How can you have been taught by the teachers in Israel and not have knowledge of these things? I tell you for certain that we have knowledge of these things because we have seen it ourselves. But none of the teachers or leaders in Israel accept what we say. If you don’t believe when I talk to you about things on earth, how can you possibly believe if I talked to you about things in heaven!”

Femily on the Good News of Peace

How does the ordinary human get baptized with both the Water of Salvation and the Holy Spirit? Baptism with water seems simple enough. It is an outward sign of an inward grace, given symbolically in many churches. Some churches advertise that all your sins will be washed away, and then lower your whole body into a depth of water. This evidently was the kind of ceremonial that John did for Jesus. A white dove appeared at the baptism of Jesus, and Jesus heard a voice from heaven. White doves are not seen too often, so they are considered a positive omen. I believe I once saw an albino crow. I also had a white dove come near, but there was no voice from heaven. According to the Native Americans, albino buffalo are a good sign. These are all signs of the unusual.

Why do we need a sign? We need signs to bring our mind into contemplation of the unusual, to make us think about messages from heaven. Catholics have the Eucharist which allows us to contemplate on the message as well as the messenger. What is the message of Jesus? Isaiah gives us the message; it’s human rights for all— men, women, children, prisoners, slaves, child soldiers, sick, elderly, farmers, uneducated, etc. Who is denying these people their rights?— Rights-deniers can be politicians, dictators, gun dealers, dealers in weapons of mass destruction, makers of weapons of mass destruction. All these rights-deniers are people who should be responsibly supplying rights to people.

The OAS document Granting Political Rights to Women was signed and ratified by the United States. If there were an equal number of men and women in the U.S. Senate, perhaps they would ratify the CEDAW convention and give Civil and Political Rights to U.S. women. Women in prison have certain rights to be the caretakers of their own children. On the negative side, however, if U.S. mothers are in for a long term in prison, their children are taken from them and formally adopted by someone else. Also if there were Social Security money due U.S. prisoners, when they are incarcerated, they do not receive their social security. When they take away the male prisoners’ social security, his wife and children suffer. It may be illegal to take away a Social Security right that a prisoner has earned, and consequently charge him for child support when he has had no means to garner funds. The gathering of funds and having meaningful and productive work are important rights that should not be denied. Many immigrants come to the U.S. because of trade policies that deny them the ability to provide for their families. Human Rights are violated when slave trade on the Mexican border and in ports such as New York City place ‘slaves’ under incarceration and ship them back to dangerous home territories. A further violation of human rights occurs when women are imported into the U.S. as sexual slaves. Even though some states have laws, the practice continues. Many of these imported slaves find their way into U.S. prisons because of prostitution laws. The U.S. has not followed documents that forbid countries that do not comply with sex-slave regulations and do not properly care for those in internment camps (such as in Israel), to receive aid money for the purchase of weapons of war. Being a sex-slave is considered a form of torture. Torture is prohibited by international conventions and treaties, including the Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT) and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) both of which have been ratified by the United States.

The Fire Inside is the newsletter of the California Coalition for Women Prisoners. The CCWP Mission statement begins as follows: CCWP is a grassroots social justice organization, with members inside and outside prison, that challenges the institutional violence imposed on women, transgender people, and communities of color by the prison industrial complex.

“CCWP gave rise to possible human rights violations created by California propositions 6 and 9, spurring much needed public education efforts about these repressive initiatives. Most recently, it was also the voices of CCWP which moved a Federal 3-judge panel to rule on August 4, 2009 that overcrowding in California’s prisons is unconstitutional and prevents adequate medical care for incarcerated persons.”(Quotes from CCWP, 9/9/09.)

“Many women prisoners have been abused, mistreated, or fallen prey to many of society’s oppressions (economic, racial, gender, etc.) before entering prison walls. Some have been given life terms, even as juveniles, and have been sacrificed as ‘lost causes’ without any chance for rehabilitation. All are separated from their families, leaving behind children and their communities that are less likely to live full, happy, and fulfilled lives.”(Quote from The Fire Inside, #41, Fall 2009, <www.womenprisoners.org>

The Declaration of Human Rights, Article 21 pronounces on voting: Everyone has the right to take part in the government of his country, directly or through freely chosen representatives. Everyone has the right to equal access to public service. This means that everyone should have the right to vote and the right to run for public office. The United States has a lot of work to do in this area. State laws prohibit prisoners from voting in most states. There is also the problem of representation in Congressional Districts; a Census-counting year should take care of this problem. Are people in prison going to be counted in their home counties with poor city schools, or are they going to be used as political pawns and counted in rural counties so that rural counties can have inflated school funds? Are they not going to be allowed to vote in either district? The U.N. advises governments to get 50 % representation of wisdom of women in courts and congressional assemblies (in the Supreme Court especially). Most laws are made by men, and chewed over by men. There is a need to get the wisdom of women into our legal decisions. Health care debate is done mostly by men; tons of paper are produced, but no one has the time to read it all, or to see what reservations and plums for the drug and insurance companies have been included. Justice and care for the disadvantaged fall by the wayside. ‘Universal design’ means a justice system designed to encourage fulfillment for all people as opposed to a legal system that emphasizes property rights violations. When we think of the word justice, we should not think of prisons as our only available option; we should be reminded that justice asks us to respect every person’s human rights. We need respect, inclusion, acceptance of differences and disabilities, and gender equality in Supreme Court and Congress.

In both California and New York and the states in between, there are many positive programs and many dedicated prison professionals, yet we continue to find courts of law where both men and women suffer from lack of restorative justice programs and a dearth of defendant lawyers. Drug abuse is a disease, and drug wars are not an effective treatment for this malady. HIV/AIDS and TB are prevalent in prisons, and are spread into the greater population when sickly, untreated prisoners are released. U.S. prisons are much better on HIV/AIDS than some of the prisons in Africa, but close quarters and overcrowding in any prison encourage communicable diseases. Health care in the U.S. is a national problem, and prisoners are on the low end of those being properly treated. To comply with The Declaration of Human Rights #25 on the standard of living, the U.S. should write a new amendment to its constitution making the health care advantages which are available to congresspersons, readily available to all Americans, including those in prisons. If we weren’t so busy promoting wars that harm and kill, we could do more for health care and healing.

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. Ask for special healings for those who need to forgive others.

Second Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year A, 2011,2015,2019,etc.

Reading 1 from Isaiah 49:3,5-6

God said to me, “You are my servant Israel through whom I show my glory. Now that God has spoken, who formed me as the servant from the womb, that Jacob may be brought back and Israel gathered to God; now I am made glorious in the sight of God and God is now my strength! It is too little, God says, for you to be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and restore the survivors of Israel; I will make you a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.”

Responsorial Psalm is #40:2-4, 7-10.

Response: Here am I, Great God; I come to do your will.

I have waited, waited for my God, and God stooped towards me and heard my cry;

God put a new song into my mouth, a hymn to the Great God.

Response: Here am I, Great God; I come to do your will.

Sacrifice or oblation you wished not, but ears open to obedience you gave me.

Holocausts or sin offerings you sought not; then said I, “Behold, I come!”

Response: Here am I, Great God; I come to do your will.

In the written scroll it is prescribed for me; to do your will, Great God, is my delight.

Your law is written within my heart.

Response: Here am I, Great God; I come to do your will.

I announced your justice in the great assembly;

I did not restrain my lips, as you, Great God, surely know.

Response: Here am I, Great God; I come to do your will.

Reading 2 from I Corinthians 1:1-3

Paul, called by God’s will to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and Sosthenes our brother, send greetings to the church of God which is in Corinth; to you who have been consecrated in Christ Jesus and called to be a holy people, as to all those who, wherever they may be, call on the name of Jesus, who is their Messiah and ours also. Grace and peace from God our Creator and from the Beloved Jesus.

Gospel of Matthew 4:18-22

While Jesus was walking along the shore of Lake Galilee, he saw two brothers. One was Simon, also known as Peter, and the other was Andrew. They were fishermen, and they were casting their net into the lake. Jesus said to them, “Come with me! I will teach you how to bring in people instead of fish.” Right then, the two brothers dropped their nets and went with him. Jesus walked on until he saw James and John, the sons of Zebedee. They were in a boat with their father, mending their nets. Jesus asked them to come with him too. Right away they left the boat and their father and went with Jesus.

Femily on God Loving the World

God loves us all. We are a truly marvelous creation. We can love each other and lead each other to fulfillment. Perhaps in making violations of God’s loving agenda, we learn how to behave more perfectly. The United States might learn from its poor behavior, how to fulfill the dream of God for all us people. For an example of poor behavior that can be changed, let’s look at how the U.S. complies with the United Nations’ documents in regards to women and sexual abuse.

In 2009, the State of Michigan paid $100 million to settle a class-action by more than 500 female prisoners who said they were sexually assaulted by prison guards.

In a 2007 survey of prisoners across the country, the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) found that 4.5 percent (or 60,500) of the more than 1.3 million inmates held in federal and state prisons had been sexually abused in the previous year alone. (Allen J. Beck & Paige M. Harrison, Bureau of Justice Statistics, Sexual Victimization in State and Federal Prisons Reported by Inmates, 2007). A BJS survey in county jails was just as troubling; nearly 25,000 jail detainees reported having been sexually abused in the past six months. (Allen J. Beck & Paige M. Harrison, Bureau of Justice Statistics, Sexual Victimization in Local Jails Reported by Inmates, 2007 (2008).

When a government takes away a person’s freedom, it must take on the responsibility of insuring that person’s safety. Having spent 25 years as a volunteer in the Alternatives to Violence Program in the prisons of New York State, I have seen that there is a wide range in officer behavior. Some officers are fine examples of rehabilitative justice and see the need to help women recover from bad experiences, while others rape and degrade their victims. I recommend that officers be given training in Alternatives to Violence.

The first problem is that the U.S. appears two faced; it does not ratify documents and then it complains that countries that have ratified are behaving illegally. For instance, the U.S. did not sign the document on nuclear armaments, and then accused Iraq (unjustly) of breaking its agreement to not produce nuclear armaments. This is unjust. U.S. citizens must urge their Senators to read and ratify these important documents.

The United States has not ratified a large number of the Covenants and Declarations promulgated by the U.N.. One it has ratified is the Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

Article 3 of this CCPR Covenant:- The States Parties to the present Covenant shall undertake to ensure the equal rights of men and women to the enjoyment of all civil and political rights set forth in the present Covenant.

Article 7 of the CCPR:- No one shall be subjected to torture, or to cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment.

Problems to be overcome in the sphere of women imprisonment are:- raped women prisoners with the consequent spread of disease, ‘caged’ mental-health women prisoners, women who did not receive justice when they were abused in domestic violence cases, immigration problems, discrimination, male guards used in prohibited situations such as pat-downs and body searches, the use of degrading language, and general disrespect. Rape is akin to torture in both its immediate effect and in the after effect of trauma. The U.S. Prisoner Rape Elimination Act of 2003 recognizes this fact.

Another serious problem is the tendency for prison personnel to allow torture.

The Constitution of the United States uphold the ideals of The U.N. Declaration of Human Rights. It contains the hope for justice, “We the people … of the U.S. in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility …” What is wrong with our justice system when abused women are sent to prison and further mistreated? Those who construct and interpret our laws often do so for their own material advantage, and do not hear of the consequences of their actions. Legislators can have considerable difficulty making just laws that support and conform to The Declaration of Human Rights. We must help our legislators to be more understanding of the problems of women, the poor, and the prisoners.

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. Ask for special healings for those who lead nations and religious bodies.

Third Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year A, 2011,2015,2019,etc.

Reading 1 from Isaiah 8:23 to 9:3

First he degraded the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali; but in the end God has glorified the seaward road, the land west of the Jordan, the District of the Gentiles. Anguish has taken wing; dispelled is darkness; for there is no gloom where but recently there was distress.The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom, a light has shone. You have brought them abundant joy and great rejoicing. They rejoice before you as at harvest time, or as men make merry by dividing spoils. For the yoke that burdened them, the pole on their shoulder, and the rod of their taskmaster you have smashed, as on the day of Midian.

Responsorial Psalm is #27:1, 4, 13-14

My God is my light and my salvation.

My God is my light and my salvation. Whom should I fear?

God is my life’s refuge. Of whom shall I be afraid?

My God is my light and my salvation.

One thing I ask of my God; this will I seek,

That I might dwell in the house of God all the days of my life,

That I might gaze on the lovliness of God and contemplate God’s temple.

My God is my light and my salvation.

I believe that I shall see the bounty of God in the land of the living.

Wait for God with courage; be stouthearted and wait for God.

My God is my light and my salvation.

Reading 2 from I Corinthians 1:10-13,17

I beg you, sisters and brothers, in the name of Jesus Christ, to agree in what you say. let there be no factions: rather, be united in mind and judgment. I have been informed, sisters and brothers, by certain members of Chloe’s household that you are quarreling among yourselves. This is what I mean: One of you will say, “I belong to Paul,” another, “I belong to Apollos,” still another, “Cephas has my allegiance,” and the fourth, “I belong to Christ.” Has Christ, then, been divided into parts? Was it Paul who was crucified for you? Was it in Paul’s name that you were baptized?  Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the Gospel— not with wordy ‘wisdom’, however, lest the cross of Christ be rendered void of its meaning!

Gospel from Matthew 4:12-17

When Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, he went to Galilee. But instead of staying in Nazareth, Jesus moved to Capernaum. This town was beside Lake Galilee in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, so God’s promise came true just as the Prophet Isaiah had said: “Listen, lands of Zebulun and Naphtali, lands along the road to the sea  and east of the Jordan! Listen, Galilee, land of the Gentiles! Although your people live in darkness, they will see a bright light. Although they live in the shadow of death, a light will shine on them.” From that time on, Jesus began to proclaim this theme: “Reform your lives! The realm of God is at hand!”

Femily on Diminishment

John was imprisoned. He spoke about Jesus becoming more important, as John himself became less important. John was eventually beheaded for his religious enthusiasm. Did John deserve such a punishment?

Teilhard de Chardin also spoke about diminishments. He said, “We must not be afraid of our diminishments, for they are the things that make us open to our God.”

Have you considered your diminishments lately? Do your diminishments make you more dependent on the Good Spirit? As an older person, I can confirm that I have diminishments, and it does make me pray to God for the safety of every step I take.

The people who are sentenced to prison also feel their diminishments. They are handicapped, not just from being behind bars, but in all their actions. They must consider the officers who are in charge over them. They must worry about when they will be allowed to leave. What about the prisoners who are innocent of the crime of which they are accused? It seems that it is very easy to get someone else convicted of a crime that you have committed;- just say you saw someone else do it!

Then there are the parole board members who feel that they have the right to resentence the criminal who comes before them asking for release. Treatment of NY incarcerated by the parole board can either kill all hope in their hearts or can inspire them to good behavior and a return to positive citizenship. The parole board members controlled by the governor’s office, give out unofficial sentences of 2 more years, and 2 more years, ad infinitum.

Recently, there has been a lot of fear drummed up on the subject of sex offenders. Bureau of Justice statistics tell us that 95% of released sex offenders are not rearrested! In 35% of sex offender cases, the child molested was the offenders own son or daughter or a near relative. When a sex offender returns to his family, the family is on the alert to prevent any further problems. The 5% of sex offenders who are released and sin again might not have reoffended if they had been given a proper rehabilitation program, or a mentor to help them stay on the straight and narrow. It is more important to give sex offenders rehabilitation programs, mentors, and support than to put them on NY-ALERT lists.

What can we do to transform the New York State justice system from being simply a punishment system to turning it into a place of rehabilitation and education?

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. Ask for special healings for those who lead nations and religious bodies.

Fourth Sunday  in Ordinary Time - Year A, 2011,2015,2019,etc.

Reading 1: Zephaniah 2:3, 3:12-13

Seek God, all you humble of the earth, who have observed God’s law; seek justice, seek humility; perhaps you may be sheltered on the day of God’s anger. But I will leave as a remnant in your midst, a people humble and lowly, who shall take refuge in the name of God: the remnant of Israel. They shall do no wrong, and speak no lies; nor shall be found in their mouth a deceitful tongue. They shall pasture and couch their flocks with none to disturb them.

Responsorial Psalm is #146:6-10

Response: How happy in spirit are the poor; the realm of heaven is theirs.

God keeps faith forever, secures justice for the oppressed;

Gives food to the hungry. God sets captives free.

Response: How happy in spirit are the poor; the realm of heaven is theirs.

God gives sight to the blind; God raises up those who were bowed down.

God loves the just; God protects strangers.

Response: How happy in spirit are the poor; the realm of heaven is theirs.

The fatherless and the widow, God sustains, but the way of the wicked, God thwarts.

God shall reign forever; your God, O Zion, for all generations. Alleluia!

Response: How happy in spirit are the poor; the realm of heaven is theirs.

Reading 2 from I Corinthians 1:26-31

Sisters and Brothers, you are among those called. Consider your own situation. Not many of you are wise, as persons account wisdom; not many are influential; and surely, not many are well-born. God chose those whom the world might consider absurd to shame the wise; God singled out the weak of this world to shame the strong. God chose the world’s low-born and despised, those who count for nothing, to reduce to nothing those who were something; so that humankind can do no boasting before God. God it is who has given you life in Christ Jesus. God has made Jesus our wisdom and also our justice, our sanctification, and our redemption. This is just as you find it written, “Let the person who would boast, boast about God.”

Gospel of Matthew 5:1-12

When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on the mountainside. After he had sat down, his disciples gathered around him, and he began to teach them:

How blest with spirit are the poor: the reign of God is theirs!

Blest too are the sorrowing; they shall be consoled.

Blest are the lowly; they shall inherit the land.

Blest are they who hunger and thirst for holiness; they shall have their fill.

Blest are they who show mercy; mercy shall be theirs.

Blest are the single-hearted, for they shall see God.

Blest too are the peacemakers; they shall be called the children of God.

Blest are those persecuted for holiness’ sake; the reign of God is theirs.

Blest are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of slander against you, because of me.

Be glad and rejoice, for your reward in heaven is great.”

Femily on Immigration

Samaritans and Jews didn’t like each other, and didn’t like each others’ religious beliefs. You might say that the people of the land, the Samaritans, weren’t happy when the Jews came back from their Babylonian Captivity. The Jews seemed to feel that they had a ‘right of return’ to the land. They no longer recognized the Samaritans as relatives with the common ancestor Jacob, That continues today with the Jewish people not recognizing that they and the Palestinians have a common ancestor in Abraham, and laws that return land to previous owners.

We in the United States have our own special immigrant problem. How can we, the people, stop the horrors of the Mexican-U.S. border? Some members of the Border Patrol have resorted to inhuman tactics in their efforts to control the immigrant population. Our laws have become much too violent, trapping and returning many foreigners who have spent most of their lives peacefully in this country.

The great warrior king Ashoka (who reigned in India 273-232BCE) turned from the bloodthirsty terrorism of the Kalinga War to spreading the ethical values of Buddhism across the world. Just as surely the Good Spirit that accompanies our earth can transform the hearts of the political leaders here and abroad, so that they reject the use of weapons against innocent populations.

Walls that confine do not serve a good purpose, whether they be information walls as in China, or cement and barbed wire as in Palestine and Gaza. Walls will not solve the humanitarian crisis that has arisen because of the NAFTA legislation. Patience and acceptance of our fellow human beings and supplying their needs may help us through such a time of distress.

After Vietnam and World War II, many churches welcomed displaced refugee families. Would the churches today be willing to host some of those people who are so desperately trying to cross the border? Many church groups are working near the border to supply water and food, and wash the wounds of immigrants, before they are sent back.

Who could lead an expedition to the area to gather information that might be helpful? Could the Border Patrol be better trained to assist in solutions, rather than exacerbate problems? What can we do to keep families together?

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. Ask for special healings for those who lead nations and religious bodies.

Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year A, 2011,2015,2019,etc.

Reading 1 from Isaiah 58:7-10

Thus says the Good God, “Share your bread with the hungry, shelter the oppressed and the homeless; clothe the naked when you see them, and do not turn your back on your own. Then your light shall break forth like the dawn, and your wound shall quickly be healed; your vindication shall go before you, and the glory of God shall be your rear guard. Then you shall call and God will answer. You shall cry for help, and God will say, “Here I am!.” If you remove from your midst oppression, false accusation, and malicious speech; if you bestow your bread on the hungry and satisfy the afflicted; then light shall rise for you in the darkness, and the gloom shall become for you like midday.

Responsorial Psalm is #112:4-9

Response: The just person is a light shining in the darkness to the upright.

God dawns through the darkness, a light for the upright; God is gracious, merciful, and just.

It goes well for the people who are gracious and lend, those who conduct their affairs with justice.

Response: The just person is a light shining in the darkness to the upright.

The just shall never be moved, and will be kept in everlasting remembrance.

The just person shall not fear an evil report; her heart is firm, trusting in her God.

Response: The just person is a light shining in the darkness to the upright.

Her heart is stedfast; she shall not fear. Lavishly, she gives to the poor;

Her generosity shall endure forever; her horn shall be exalted in glory.

Response: The just person is a light shining in the darkness to the upright.

Reading 2 is I Corinthians 2:1-5

As for myself, sisters and brothers, when I came to you I did not come proclaiming God’s testimony with any particular eloquence or wisdom. No, I determined that while I was with you I would speak of nothing but Jesus Christ and him crucified. When I came among you, it was in weakness and fear, and with much trepidation. My message and my preaching had none of the persuasive force of wise argumentation, but the convincing power of the Spirit. As a consequence, your faith rests not on the wisdom of persons but on the power of God.

Gospel of Matthew 5:13-16

You are like salt for everyone on earth. But if salt no longer tastes like salt, how can it make food salty? All it is good for, is to be thrown out and walked on. You are like light for the whole world. A city built on the top of a hill cannot be hidden, and no one would light a lamp and put it under a clay pot. A lamp is placed on a lampstand, where it can give light to everyone in the house. Make your light shine, so that others will see the good that you do and will praise our Abba in heaven.

Femily on A Little More Light!

The New York State Prison System could be more economical and more in keeping with the Human Rights values of the United Nations. In New York State we have a reliable prison system, but it is based on a belief in punishment rather than on reclamation. The world and its prison systems could use a little more light.

As we look around the world we see many political systems that are assaulting Human Rights obligations. Soldiers and police officers are trained to control and punish populations, yet our ethical values tell us that we are to support one another, and supply the needs of the poor. Walls are put up to keep one group from accessing another group’s territory, yet our ethical values tell us that we should welcome the stranger, especially if they are fleeing from persecution, unfair domination, or an oppressive economic system. In other prisons around the world, people are being tortured, and having food and water denied. These horrors are presented to us on our TV screens every day.

There are some programs that help in the rehabilitation of prisoners. You may have heard of the Alternatives to Violence Program, the Kairos Program, and the Ministry Education Program at SingSing, all programs available to some of the incarcerated in New York State. In Canada there is a program called Lifers for Lifers where prisoners who have been released on parole help to prepare those still behind bars for a successful re-entry. I would like to suggest that instead of being given extended sentences of two years plus two years plus two years, etc. by the New York parole board, that ex-prisoners and parole officers form a mentoring group that provides those coming out of prison with a supportive community. This community could be overseen by members of religious organizations, Catholic, Protestant, Muslim, Buddhist, etc. thus making it a place where interfaith values could be propagated.

This two year extension of sentence which is done by Parole Board hearings may be an illegal extension, as it conflicts with the sentencing judge’s decision. It is against the ethical values upheld by the majority of the population as it destroys HOPE in both the incarcerated person and in his family members. Some might consider it a form of torture.

Excessive punishment is not good for children; why should we assume that it works to make better adults? We could acquaint police, soldiers, and the incarcerated with the methods of Restorative Justice. The world needs more light shining in its prison establishments!

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. Ask for special healings for those who lead nations and religious bodies.

Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year A, 2011,2015,2019,etc.

Reading 1 is Sirach 15:15-20

If you choose, you can keep the commandments; it is loyalty to do God’s will. There are set before you fire and water; to whichever you choose, stretch forth your hand. Set before the people are life and death; whichever they choose shall be given them. Immense is the wisdom of God, who is mighty in power and all-seeing. The eyes of God see all that is made; God understands the human’s every deed. No person does God command to sin; to none does God give strength to lie.

Responsorial Psalm is #119:1-2, 4-5, 17-18, 33-34

Response: Happy are they who follow God’s law.

Happy are those whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the law of God.

Happy are those who observe God’s decrees, who seek God with all their heart.

Response: Happy are they who follow God’s law.

You have commanded that your precepts be diligently kept.

O that I might be firm in the ways of keeping your statutes!

Response: Happy are they who follow God’s law.

Be good to your servant that I may live and keep your words.

Open my eyes that I may consider the wonders of your law.

Response: Happy are they who follow God’s law.

Instruct me, O God, in the way of your statutes, that I may exactly observe them.

Give me discernment, that I may observe your law and keep it with all my heart.

Response: Happy are they who follow God’s law.

Reading 2 is I Corinthians 2:6-10

There is to be sure, a certain wisdom which we express among the spiritually mature. It is not a wisdom of this age, however, nor of the rulers of this age, who are persons headed for destruction. No, what we utter is God’s wisdom: a mysterious, a hidden wisdom. God planned it before all ages for our glory. None of the rulers of this age knew the mystery; if they had known it, they would never have crucified Jesus the Messiah. Of this wisdom, it is written: “Eye has not seen, ear has not heard, nor has it so much as dawned on the human spirit what God has prepared for those who love God.” Yet God has revealed this wisdom to us through the Spirit. The Spirit scrutinizes all matters, even the deep things of God.

Gospel from Matthew 5:20-22, 27-28, 33-34, 37

Jesus said to his disciples: “I tell you, unless your holiness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees you shall not enter the realm of God. You have heard the commandment imposed on your forefathers, ‘You shall not commit murder; every murderer will be liable to judgment.’ What I say to you is: everyone who grows angry with a sister or brother will be liable to judgment. You have heard the commandment, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ What I say to you is: anyone who looks lustfully at a woman has already committed adultery with her in his thoughts. You have heard the commandment imposed on your forefathers, ‘Do not take a false oath; rather make good to God all your pledges.’ What I tell you is: do not swear at all. Say ‘yes’ when you mean ‘yes’, and ‘no’ when you mean ‘no’. Anything beyond that is from the evil one.”

Femily on Lawbreakers

Jesus is trying to explain to the Jewish leaders what their priorities and their behaviors should be. The Jews had a well-knit society, and believed that their laws came directly from heaven. When we look at our democracy, we find it difficult to understand why half our people are Democrats and half are Republicans. It seems that different people find varying interpretations for God’s laws and for what is good for one’s country. We object to the killing of children in the womb, but we are willing to kill murderers. Aren’t those who kill the murderers, murderers themselves?

How can we build a society that runs on truth and justice? There are many barriers to an inclusive and cooperative society. Some of them are:

1-Lack of education (for the disabled and the excluded, and also for the general population).

2-Poverty (the rich are given stimulus which do not trickle down to the poor).

3-Family breakdown (due to addiction and lack of social services).

4-Gender inequality (trafficking in women, kidnapping of children, U.S.-Mexico border disturbances).

5-News reporting that encourages prejudice (acceptance by the general public of labelling).

6-Unemployment (leading to low self esteem).

7-Forced migration (unfair trade practices, poor government structures, political dishonesty, greed).

8-Homelessness (which leads to drug abuse. These barriers are circular; one problem leads to another).

How can we overcome these barriers? Here are some recommendations for all people (which includes prisoners):

(1)Enforce equal rights. (2)Basic health care. (3)Guaranteed income. (4)Meaningful Employment. (5)A place to live. (6)Education for all. (7)Gender equality. (8)Micro-economics. (9)Political integrity. (10)Supportive Communities.

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. Ask for special healings for those who lead nations and religious bodies.

Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year A, 2011,2015,2019,etc.

Reading 1 is Leviticus 19:1-2, 17-18

God said to Moses, “Speak to the whole Israelite community and tell them: ‘Be holy, for I, your God, am holy. You shall not bear hatred for your sister or brother in your heart. Though you may have to reprove your fellow humanbeing, do not incur sin because of him. Take no revenge and cherish no grudge against your fellow citizens. You shall love your neighbor as yourself. I am God.’”

Responsorial Psalm is #103:1-4, 8, 10, 12-13

Response: Our God is kind and merciful.

Bless our God, O my soul; may all my being bless God’s holy name.

Bless our God, O my soul, and forget not all God’s benefits.

Response: Our God is kind and merciful.

God pardons all your iniquities and heals all your ills.

God redeems your life from destruction, and crowns you with kindness and compassion.

Response: Our God is kind and merciful.

Merciful and gracious is God, slow to anger and abounding in kindness.

Not according to our sins does God deal with us, nor does God requite us according to our crimes.

Response: Our God is kind and merciful.

As far as the east is from the west, so far has God put our transgressions from us.

As a mother has compassion on her children, so God has compassion on us.

Response: Our God is kind and merciful.

Reading 2 is I Corinthians 3:16-23

Are you not aware that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? Together you are God’s holy temple, and God will destroy anyone who destroys that temple. Don’t fool yourselves! If any of you think you are wise in the things of this world, you will have to become foolish before you are truly wise. This is because God considers the wisdom of this world to be foolish.” Scripture says, “He catches the wise in their craftiness;” and again, “God knows how empty are the thoughts of the wise.” So let there be no boasting. All things are yours, whether it be Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or the present, or the future; all these are yours, and you are Christ’s and Christ is God’s.

Gospel is Matthew 5:38-48

Jesus said to the disciples: “You have heard the commandment, ‘An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.’ But what I say to you is: offer no resistance to injury. When a person strikes you on the right cheek, turn and offer the other cheek as well. If anyone wants to go to law over your shirt, hand over your coat as well. Should anyone press you into service for one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the person who begs from you. Do not turn your back on the borrower. You have heard the commandment, ‘You shall love your country’s people, but hate your enemy.’ My command to you is: love your enemies; pray for your persecutors. This will prove that you are children of the heavenly Abba, for the sun rises on both the bad and the good; it rains on both the just and the unjust. If you love those who love you, what merit is there in that? Do not tax collectors do as much? And if you greet your sisters and brothers only, what is so praiseworthy about that? Do not pagans do as much? In a word, you must be perfected as your heavenly Abba is perfect.”

Femily on Giving Respect

Recently I received an email from a friend telling me that her husband and nine other prisoners had been given another two year extension to their sentence by the N.Y. State Parole Board. These two-year extensions added to their jail time are enough to kill hope and sanity in both the incarcerated and their family members.

Yes, they may have done terrible things, but haven’t we heard about the quality of forgiveness? We all have done actions of which we are not proud, but our Christian faith (and other faiths as well) tell us to follow the Golden Rule of kindness and compassion.

What can you and I do about the possibly-illegal extra-sentences passed out by the parole board members? Can’t we devise a program for these oppressed human beings that will help them to overcome their traumas and disabilities?

Couldn’t we have an experimental program at some New York State prison that would help to rebuild personalities which have been damaged by factors present in today’s society? With internet education they could be exposed to all sorts of knowledge. With the assistance of willing volunteers they could become culturally enhanced in painting, singing, dancing, cooking, and health therapy. Overseeing officers could also reap benefits from such a program.

Does New York State have to be cruel, heartless, and tough? Could it display to the rest of the world a merciful way to heal those who radically offend others? Why couldn’t we initiate such a program for those ten men who have just been given such a discouraging sentencing?

It would be cheaper in the long run to turn violent offenders into employable tax-paying citizens.

There must be some way to implement and inject forgiveness and respect into our disturbed world.

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. Ask for special healings for those who lead nations and religious bodies.

Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year A, 2011,2015,2019,etc.

Reading 1 from Isaiah 49:14-15

Zion said, “The Great God has forsaken me; my God has forgotten me.” Can a mother forget her baby or be without tenderness for the infant of her womb? Even though she should forget, I will never forget you.

Responsorial Psalm is #62:2-3, 6-9

Response: Rest in God alone, my soul.

Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from God cometh my salvation.

God alone is my rock and my salvation; with God as my defense; I shall not be disturbed at all.

Response: Rest in God alone, my soul.

My soul, wait thou only upon God; from whence cometh thy expectation.

God alone is my rock and my salvation: with God as my defense; I shall not be moved.

Response: Rest in God alone, my soul.

In God is my salvation and my glory; the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God.

Trust in God at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before God, our refuge.

Response: Rest in God alone, my soul.

Reading 2 is from I Corinthians 4:1-5

People should regard us as servants of Christ and administrators of the mysteries of God. The first requirement of an administrator is that they should be proved trustworthy. It matters little to me whether you or any human court pass judgment on me. I do not even pass judgment on myself. Mind you, I have nothing on my conscience. But that does not mean that I am declaring myself innocent. God is the one who judges, so stop passing judgment before the time. God will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and manifest the intentions of hearts. At the proper time everyone will receive their praise from God.

The Gospel is from Matthew 6:24-34

Jesus said to his disciples: “No person can serve two masters; for either they will hate the one, and love the other; or else they will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. Therefore I say unto you, ‘Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit to their stature? And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin. Yet I say unto you, that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall God not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or, ‘What shall we drink?’ or, ‘Wherewithal shall we be clothed?’ (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for our heavenly Creator knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the realm of God, and do righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.”

Femily: The Realm of God and Rehabilitation of Offenders

God knows our needs! So why are those in prison allowed to be mistreated? Every so often, NGOs and Nations of the U.N. get the opportunity to judge each other. This opportunity is called the Universal Periodic Review. This is a Non-Governmental Organization’s report on how the U.S. complied with the U.N. Documents in Regards to Women.

The United States has opportunity to speak out about how Amnesty International and Prison Reform associations comply with the U.N. regulations.

For instance, there is Article 7 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: All are equal before the law and are entitled to equal protection before the law.

But there are many violations against women:

Example 1— Maria was abused by her husband. Her brother came to her aid, and wrestled the husband’s gun away from the husband. In the confusion the husband was shot, and Maria and the brother were sent to prison for over twenty years. Maria’s son grew up, became a lawyer, and eventually obtained her release many years later. It seemed the judge and attorney working for the state had to put someone in prison for this horrible event. There was no equal protection for the accused.

Example 2— Carmen was put in prison for her husband’s crime, because he escaped from the scene. Carmen was not at the scene. She was pregnant and had a small child who she had sent to school the morning she was charged with her husband’s crime. She had no idea that she would be accused as an accomplice and spend the next 20+ years in prison.

Example 3— Kelli was sent to prison as a result of mistaken identity by a witness who later recanted. The District Attorney refused to accept the recantation, and Kelli went back to prison for another long stretch, even though a prisoner in a southern prison claimed he was the murderer.

These three examples are stated to demonstrate that there are instances when judges and district attorneys administer justice so that they will keep their jobs by appearing to “get their man” and put the “criminal” behind bars. In many court systems, there seems to be an urgency to get someone, anyone, convicted for a crime. Evidence is conjured up and sometimes there is a payoff involved. If court systems in the U.S. were more attuned to restorative and empathetic justice, if judges listened to the defendant’s attorney, if domestic violence were given more attention, if people were educated to the violence due to drugs and alcohol, if  pro bono attorneys and court appointed lawyers were more reliable, then we might come closer to the Human Rights idea of justice.

Supposedly, the U.S. justice system is a model for the world. This justice system includes Guantanamo Bay. Some lawyers twist laws, so that torture is permitted. If the U.S. uses torture at Guantanamo Bay, other countries can follow suit and believe they are doing no harm. Yet what is done in U.S. prisons can also be a good example for how justice could be done in other prisons across the world. If the U.S. reformed its justice system, then the people in Africa might attempt a similar reform of their prisons.

Other recommendations:

1.Recognize the rights of every individual to fair justice; and include everyone in the equal provision of the mechanics of justice.

2.Use alternatives to prison that restore harmony in the community, rather than foster brutal punishment.

3. Protect the incarcerated from torture and unnecessary, malicious abuse.

4. Limit the spread of communicable diseases due to over-incarceration, overcrowding, lack of sanitation, or medical neglect.

5.Recognize that the majority of persons in the world’s places of detention are redeemable as productive citizens, if given a measure of social development.

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. Ask for special healings for those who lead nations and religious bodies. Pray for those confined in prisons and refugee camps.

Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year A, 2011,2015,2019,etc.

Reading 1 is from Deuteronomy 11:18-28

Moses said: Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes. And ye shall teach them to your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt write them upon the door posts of thine house, and upon thy gates:- that your days may be multiplied, and the days of your children, in the land which the Holy God sware unto your ancestors to give them, as the days of heaven upon the earth. For if ye shall diligently keep all these commandments which I command you, to do them, to love your God, to walk in God’s ways, and to cleave unto God; then will the Holy God drive out all these nations from before you, and ye shall possess greater nations and mightier than yourselves. Every place whereon the soles of your feet shall tread shall be yours: from the wilderness and Lebanon, from the river, the river Euphrates, even unto the uttermost sea shall your coast be. There shall no man be able to stand before you: for your God shall lay the fear of you and the dread of you upon all the land that ye shall tread upon, as God hath said unto you. Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse: A blessing, if ye obey the commandments of your God, which I command you this day. And a curse, if ye will not obey the commandments of your God, but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day, to go after other gods, which ye have not known.

Responsorial Psalm is #31:2-3, 9-10, 15-16

Response: Holy God, be my rock of safety.

Bow down thine ear to me; deliver me speedily: be thou my strong rock, an house of defense to save me.

For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name’s sake lead me, and guide me.

Response: Holy God, be my rock of safety.

Have mercy upon me, Holy God, for I am in trouble: mine eye is consumed with grief, yea, my soul and my belly.

For my life is spent with grief, and my years with sighing: my strength faileth because of mine iniquity.

Response: Holy God, be my rock of safety.

My times are in thy hand: deliver me from the hand of mine enemies, and from them that persecute me.

Make thy face to shine upon thy servant: save me because you are merciful.

Response: Holy God, be my rock of safety.

Reading 2 is from Romans 3:20-31

Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh shall be justified in God’s sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; even the righteousness of God which is by faith in Jesus Christ, given unto all, and upon all them that believe. For there is no difference;- all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God, being justified freely by God’s grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus (whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare Jesus’ righteousness as valid for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God. I declare at this time Jesus’ righteousness, as God is just, and the justifier of them who believeth in Jesus. Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? Nay, but by the law of faith. Therefore we conclude that a person is justified by faith without the deeds of the law. Is God the God of the Jews only? Is God not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also. Seeing it is One God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith. Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid. Yea, we establish the law.

Gospel: Matthew 7:21-29

Jesus said, ”Not every one that saith unto me, ‘Master, Master’ shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but the one that doeth the will of my Abba which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, ‘Master, have we not prophesied in thy name? And in thy name have cast out devils? And in thy name done many wonderful works?’ Then will I profess unto them, ‘I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.’ Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock. The rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand. The rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell! And great was the fall of it.’” And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine: For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

Femily: Who will help the vulnerable?

If Israelites or others who heed God’s promises, help the vulnerable, every place on earth will welcome them. Everywhere they tread, the welcome mat will be spread out. Will the Israelites accept the blessing or the curse? One becomes a curse if one turns aside to worship other gods, such as greed, power, hatred, sex, material goods, or armaments.

One becomes a blessing if they build up ethical values in individuals and nations. If you help to ratify U.N. documents, you will be supporting vulnerable people in nations all over the world. You can help to save the earth and inspire other nations onward on their Human Rights agendas.

We should give serious thought to the problems of the world, such as endless war and weapons, world warming, and overpopulation. Some justify war and say that self-defense is OK, that the end often justifies the means. Some say abortion is self-defense. Take a look at crime; criminals often justify their actions in terms of what they believe is the greater good. Thus we have laws, so that the judgment of the community will help the individual arrive at an optimum path. But the future of our earth is at stake. The earth cannot support an endless rise in population. We eventually will run out of resources. We also need to foster ethical values. The theory of atonement for sins should be pursued; can we make up for the misdeeds of others? In a sense we are one with humanity. My salvation is linked to yours. As I help you and myself, I contribute to the salvation of the world. There is a birth of God in humanity in the process. We each contribute to the saving of the world. This may seem impossible, but we can look at the tremendous contributions of people that we know who are compassionate. We are partially saved by all of these, but in particular, by Jesus, as the true message of God’s love.

Does discipline help in controlling negative emotions such as anger and jealousy which have a tendency to drive out truly deep empathy and caring love? Wise laws can point us in the right direction, but education might be the necessary factor that really makes a difference.

Take for instance, the campaign against smoking. Laws were made to make marijuana illegal. Parents hovered over their children with love and concern about cancer from cigarettes and jail time for breaking laws concerning marijuana use. But not much was accomplished until a concentrated anti-smoking program was put on television. We may need education as well as laws and love.

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. Ask for special healings for those who lead nations and religious bodies.

Lenten Season starts 6 Sundays before Easter. The first Sunday after the full moon after the spring Equinox is Easter. Readings for the Sundays in Ordinary Time continue after the Feast of Pentecost.

First Sunday of Lent - Year A, Mar.13,2011;2015,2019,etc.

Reading 1 is from Genesis 2:7-9; 3:1-7

God formed the human beings out of the dust of the ground, and breathed into their nostrils the breath of life; and the humans became living souls. God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there God put the humans who had been formed. And out of the ground God made to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which God had made. And the serpent said unto the woman, “Yea, hath God said, ‘Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?’” And the woman said unto the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, ‘Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.’” And the serpent said unto the woman, “Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.” And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.

Responsorial Psalm is #51:3-10

Response: Be merciful, O Loving God, for we have sinned.

I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. Against thee, thee only, have I sinned;

Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean. Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Response: Be merciful, O Loving God, for we have sinned.

Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.

Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.

Response: Be merciful, O Loving God, for we have sinned.

Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.

Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

Response: Be merciful, O Loving God, for we have sinned.

Reading 2 is from Romans 5:12, 17-19

Wherefore, as by one person sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all humanbeings, for that all have sinned. For if by one man’s offense death reigned because of one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ. Therefore as by the offense of one, judgment came upon all people to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one, the free gift came upon all people unto justification of life. For as by one human’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.

Gospel is from Matthew 4:1-11

Then was Jesus led of the spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward hungry. And when the tempter came to him, he said, “If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.” But Jesus answered and said, “It is written, ‘The human shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.’” Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, and saith unto him, “If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, ‘God shall give the angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.’” Jesus said unto him, “It is written again, ‘Thou shalt not tempt the Holy God.’” Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them, and saith unto him, “All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.” Then saith Jesus unto him, “Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, ‘Thou shalt worship the Holy God, and that God only shalt thou serve.’” Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.

Femily: Gifts, Devilish and Otherwise

Some gifts are things that we can touch, taste, or smell. Others are symbols representing a greater reality. For instance, a check is a symbol that represents money that may be ours to spend. Baptism is an outward sign of an inward grace. A dove can equate the Holy Spirit. What is that? Why do we need a sign? We need signs for some of the unseen realities that are hard to express. Who has seen the wind? But we have words for gentle breezes and hurricanes and tornados. We know when a wind blows in our faces. So it is with the Holy Spirit:- we know when spirit makes a leap from one heart to another. Eucharist can be more than a sign if the Holy Spirit inspires us to view both the message and the messenger.

Other gifts are actions, like helping a blind person cross the street. Jesus showed the quality of obedience to God’s will, and to high ethical values. He helped other people to see that they could follow high ethical values and thereby inspire others. The reading from Romans 5 tells us, “By the obedience of one, many were made righteous.” We need political leaders who will inspire us onward to greater deeds. Those who act to feed the poor and comfort the downhearted are giving gifts to the wider community.

On the other hand, inaction in any part of our global community has an impact on the whole. It is necessary to look at society from the bottom up. When considering slums, refugee camps, and prisons, are the well-to-do giving good gifts to those living in poverty? What would good gifts be? Education? Pure water? Spiritual counseling?

And what would devilish gifts be? The temptation to sell drugs? The desire to rule and control another person or a whole nation? Anything that makes us lose our concern for the other?

We must take the opportunities that are given to us to share good gifts with others.

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. Ask for special healings for those who lead nations and religious bodies.

Second Sunday of Lent - Year A, 2011,2015,2019,etc.

Reading 1 is from Genesis 12:1-4

Now God had said unto Abram, “Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse those that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.” So Abram departed, following God’s directions; and his nephew Lot went with him. Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran.

Responsorial Psalm is #33:4-5, 18-22

Response: Upright is God’s word; and all God’s works are trustworthy.

Praise God with the harp: sing unto God with the psaltery and an instrument of ten strings.

Sing unto God a new song; play skilfully with a loud noise.

Response: Upright is God’s word; and all God’s works are trustworthy.

God loveth righteousness and judgment: the earth is full of the goodness of God.

By the word of God were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of God’s mouth.

Response: Upright is God’s word; and all God’s works are trustworthy.

Behold, the eye of God is upon them that fear God, upon them that hope in God’s mercy;

To deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine.

Response: Upright is God’s word; and all God’s works are trustworthy.

Our soul waiteth for the loving God: God is our help and our shield.

For our heart shall rejoice in God, because we have trusted in God’s holy name.

Response: Upright is God’s word; and all God’s works are trustworthy.

Reading 2 is from II Timothy 1:8-10

Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Savior, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the Gospel according to the power of God, who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to God’s own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, but is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.

The Gospel is from Matthew 25:14-30

For the realm of heaven is as a person travelling into a far country, who called the servants, and delivered unto them some expenses. And unto one was given five talents, to another two, and to another only one talent; to every person according to their several ability; and straightway the person took off on the journey. Then the servant that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made with them another five talents. And likewise the servant that had received two, also gained another two. But the servant that had received one, went and digged in the earth, and hid the money they had been given. After a long time the boss of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them. The one that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, “Boss, thou deliveredst unto me five talents. Behold, I have gained beside them five talents more.” The boss said unto him, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things. Be joyful.” Also, the one that had received two talents came and said, “Boss, thou deliveredst unto me two talents. Behold, I have gained two other talents beside them.” The boss said unto that one, “Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things. Be joyful.” Then the one which had received the one talent came and said, “Boss, I knew thee to be an hard person, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed. I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth. Lo, there thou hast what is thine.” The boss answered and said unto that one, “Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed. Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury. Take therefore the talent from that one, and give it unto the one which hath ten talents. For unto every one that hath shall be given, and that person shall have abundance. But from the one that hath not, shall be taken away even that which is possessed. And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness where there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

Femily: A Hard Saying

I do not understand the message about the talents passed out to the servants. How could the boss speak so unkindly to the disadvantaged servant? The boss knew that that particular servant couldn’t keep up to the other two. We can’t excuse the boss’ cruel behavior as due to lack of information. And then to cast the poor individual into outer darkness! How is this boss traveling to a far country anything like the realm of heaven?

Perhaps this story is telling us what the everyday world is like. People mistreat the disadvantaged as a matter of course. Wealthy nations make war on poorer nations. But why bring the kingdom of heaven into the story and say it is like a person traveling into a far country?

The majority in Congress feel that we need more armaments. They seem to believe that the rich deserve to keep the wealth, and the poor deserve to be poor. The rich boss says to the poor servant, “You could at least have put my money in the bank, and collected a little interest! Cast that usless person into the debtors’ prison!” The majority of United States Congress people feel little sympathy for those displaced by storms, or those who have no health care.

Do we withhold wages from the disadvantaged? Do we expect the people in prison to pull themselves up by their own bootstraps? Do we expect the dyslexic teenager to perform as well as the expert reader? Do we expect those in prison to reform themselves with no help from the outside community?

If there were enough room in the world, we could invite the unprofitable servants to migrate to some unoccupied territory. God advised Abraham to leave his home territory where he did not get along, and go to a far away place. The story goes that Abraham smashed all the idols in the idol shop, and left town. Presumably Abraham made out a lot better in his new location.

Conclusions we might make from these readings are that God gives us talents and God expects us to use them, not bury them. God sends us to faraway places and God will go with us on the journey.

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. Ask for special healings for those who lead nations and religious bodies.

Third Sunday of Lent - Year A, 2011,2015,2019,etc.

Reading 1 is from Exodus 17:1-7

The congregation of the children of Israel journeyed from the wilderness of Sin and pitched in Rephidim, and there was no water for the people to drink. Wherefore the people did chide with Moses, and said, “Give us water that we may drink.” And Moses said unto them, “Why chide ye with me? Wherefore do ye tempt God?” And the people thirsted there for water and murmured against Moses, and said, “Wherefore is this that thou hast brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst?” And Moses cried unto God, saying, “What shall I do unto this people? They be almost ready to stone me.” And God said unto Moses, “Go on before the people, and take with thee of the elders of Israel; and thy rod, wherewith thou smotest the river, take in thine hand, and go. Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink.” And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel. And he called the name of the place Massah, and Meribah, because of the chiding of the children of Israel, and because they tempted God, saying, “Is the Holy God among us, or not?”

Portions of Responsorial Psalm #95:1-9

Response: If today you hear God’s voice, harden not your hearts.

O come, let us sing unto our Holy God. Let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.

Let us come before God’s presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto God with psalms.

Response: If today you hear God’s voice, harden not your hearts.

In God’s hands are the deep places of the earth: the strength of the hills is also God’s.

The sea is God’s. God made it, and God’s hands formed the dry land.

Response: If today you hear God’s voice, harden not your hearts.

O come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before our Creator.

For the Creator is our God; and we are the people of God’s pasture, and the sheep of God’s hand.

Response: If today you hear God’s voice, harden not your hearts.

Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness:

When your ancestors tempted me, proved me, and saw my work.

Response: If today you hear God’s voice, harden not your hearts.

Reading 2 is from Romans 5:1-2, 5-8

Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through Jesus Christ, by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also, knowing that tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience; and experience, hope; and hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit which is given unto us. For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth God’s love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

The Gospel is from Matthew 17:1-9

And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart, and was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. and, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him. Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.” While Peter yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.” And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid. And Jesus came and touched them, and said, “Arise, and be not afraid.” And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, save Jesus only. And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying, “Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen again from the dead.”

Femily: The Rods of Prophets

In today’s readings we have stories about two miracles: Water gushes from the rock. There was a transformation on the mountain. Moses is in both stories. Do you own a staff that makes water come out of a rock? Have you ever seen earlier day prophets on a hilltop? Do people carry staffs around today with which to ward off unruly animals?

In Exodus 7:12 Moses and Aaron go before Pharaoh to urge him to let the Israelites leave town. Moses tells Aaron to let the staff turn into a serpent. Magicians do likewise. Aaron’s serpent swallows the others. In Numbers 17:3-10 Moses collected twelve branches. Aaron the Levite’s branch sprouted flowers and almonds. Then Moses knew that Aaron had been selected to be High Priest. In Numbers 20:1-13 Aaron and Moses took a staff and went to the rock in the desert of Zin. They struck the rock with the staff, and the waters of Meribah flowed. In Numbers 21:4-9 when fiery serpents attack, Moses makes a bronze serpent and puts it on a standard. Psalm 23:4 proclaims, “Your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”

Many Ethiopian churches have an altar box made out of hardwood where they keep a replica of Aaron’s staff and other ceremonial items. Some place in Ethiopia one of the churches contains the original staff that made the water flow at Meribah and Massah. Do any of the people in Ethiopia today believe that these staffs have healing power? Does anyone today believe that the world can be turned around by prophets appearing on a mountain?

Well, we should believe. When we lose faith in miracles, the world becomes a mundane place.

If we see every plant as a miracle, every day as a new opportunity, if we see every person as a part of God-Spirit, then we are suffused with miracles. We might have enough faith to coax water out of a rock.

As an example of coaxing water out of a rock:- making our prisons restorative, rather than punishing and confrontational.

What to do about supermax prisons!

Torture is going out of fashion. It is becoming obvious to people that hurting and killing one’s fellow human beings is not good for one’s personal psychology. War veterans find that they are haunted by the terrible things that they have done. There is a need for ethical renewal of our value system. Human kind flourishes when people respect each other. There are both economic and ethical aspects to such respect. If a nation is greedy for resources and does not give food and health care to its poor, that nation will not prosper. If a nation is unkind and slaughters the poor in its own boundaries and inside other nation’s boundaries, the soldiers and police that do such things undergo trauma because of what they have done.

More recently, due to global terrorism and a rise in crime due to economic pressure, police officers have been called upon to be more punishing and restrictive. A better path would be to have more restorative justice programs that would supply needs for jobs, housing, food, and health care.

This excessive punishment is driven by fear. Those who have, are afraid that what they have, will be taken away from them. The regular prison and confinement scenario is supplemented by a rise in the number of supermax prisons and special housing units. The United States is the biggest offender; perhaps because the general population is fairly well off, they worry about how they might lose their marvelous civilization. The European Union has sworn off supermax prisons, but they are catching the disease from the United States; the Netherlands has what might be called a “supermax” and England is putting into place ‘control handling’ units. It is well known that long term solitary confinement destroys the individual. It also has deleterious effects on those who administer such punishment. Long term solitary confinement merits the connotation of TORTURE. There are many forms of torture which can be defined as any treatment that harms the body, soul, or mind, when administered by one party against another party. Several examples of torture:

(1) Giving two extra years of confinement to those in New York State prisons by the parole boards.

(2) Waterboarding, as at Guantanamo.

(3) Officers inciting violence among the inmates they supervise.

What to do about this situation: Do you have a staff like Aaron or Moses with which to encourage radical change? Can you encourage others to radical change?

The Internet supplies many valuable tools for teaching restorative justice methods. There is a need for education of prison management, legislators, and those who construct the prison buildings and punishment situations. There is a need for education programs for prison-union leadership. We cannot afford to have such leadership misinformed about psychology of prison administration. There is a need for general education of prison officers, in all countries of the world. We should educate and seek the fulfillment of all the imprisoned. It is much less expensive to educate than to eradicate. Could the Internet be used as a tool or as a prophet’s staff to change prison systems?

The United States leads the world in imprisonment and in weapons production; both these ventures do nothing to build, but only degrade humanity. Teaching booklets that describe solutions to torture and trauma are put out by the Association for the Prevention of Torture, Amnesty International. Training manuals such as one produced by CURE, can help to overcome the widespread globalization of fear and frenzy that has overtaken our governments and our prison systems. Unfortunately, there are oppositional manuals such as those produced by the School of the Americas (SOA) or Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation (WHISC) that encourage torture and other ways to degrade humanity.

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. Ask for special healings for those who lead nations and religious bodies. Ask that the nations would “beat their swords into plough-shares and their spears into pruning hooks.”

Fourth Sunday of Lent - Year A, April 3,2011;2015,2019,etc.

Reading 1 is from I Samuel 16:1, 6-7, 10-13

God said to Samuel, “I am sending you to Jesse the Bethlehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons.” And it came to pass, when they were come, that he looked on Eliab, and said, “Surely God’s anointed is before me.” But God said unto Samuel, “Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for God seeth not as humans seeth; for a human looketh on the outward appearance, but God looketh on the heart.” Again, Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. And Samuel said unto Jesse, “God hath not chosen these.” And Samuel said unto Jesse, “Are all thy children here? And Jesse said, “There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep.” And Samuel said unto Jesse, “Send and fetch him: for we will not sit down till he come hither.” And Jesse sent, and brought David in. Now David was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look on. And God said, “Arise, anoint him: for this is the one.” Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his community: and the Holy Spirit of God came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.

Responsorial Psalm is #23:1-6

Response: Loving Spirit is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

I am made to lie down in green pastures: I am led beside the still waters.

My soul is restored: I am led in the paths of righteousness for God’s Spirit’s sake.

Response: Loving Spirit is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil;

For thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

Response: Loving Spirit is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies;

Thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

Response: Loving Spirit is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life:

And I will dwell in God’s house for ever.

Response: Loving Spirit is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

Reading 2 is from Ephesians 5:8-14

There was a time when you were darkness, but now ye are light in God’s Spirit: walk as children of light; for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth; proving what is acceptable unto God. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest, is light. Wherefore the prophet saith, “Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.” See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

Gospel is from Matthew 7:1-21

Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, ‘Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?’ Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye. Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you. Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and those that seeketh findeth; and to those who knock it shall be opened. Or what person among you who has a child. and that child asks for bread, will that person give that child a stone? Or if the child asks for a fish, will the parent give the child a serpent? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Abba which is in heaven give good things to them that ask? Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that people should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets. Enter ye in at the straight gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be who go in thereat. Because straight is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, few there be that find it. Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do people gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. Not every one that saith unto me, ‘Master, Master’, shall enter into the realm of heaven; but the one that doeth the will of my Abba which is in heaven, that one shall enter the place of peace.

Femily: David’s Ancestors

Who were David’s ancestors? At some time in the Mid-east, there was a mixture of people. David sprang from the tribe of Judah, from which we get the name for the Jews. Before we used the name ‘Judean’, early people called them Gudeans. These Gudeans lived back in the hills, where they had fled when other warlike people took over the farmable lowlands. David was described as ruddy, handsome, and musical. About 30 thousand years back, there was a red-haired group of people called Neanderthals, who may have inter-married with the black haired people who had moved into the Near East territory. Another red-head described in the Bible was Esau who was the twin brother of Jacob. They were the sons of Isaac and Rebecca. The red-haired genes also are still present in the hills of Spain and the island of Ireland. Geneticists have yet to discover if red-haired people and Neanderthals have other genes in common, besides the red hair.

King David was a remarkable leader. He was credited with the Psalms and with killing the Giant Goliath. The Psalms may have been sung in Egypt or composed by people who crossed a turbulent sea and marched across the Negeb wilderness. The story about Goliath may have been told about some other hero previous to David, but some past events became associated with David as the great leader of the Israelites. As such a leader, David and his son Solomon were encouraged to keep large harems, and be the progenitors of a vast number of descendants. Brigham Young led the Mormons in Utah following the multi-wives pattern, and also used music written by other God-serving people to inspire his followers. Many Jewish people today can trace their heritage back to King David. Greeks can claim to be in the line of Pericles. Native Americans are proud to proclaim Mayan ancestry.

David and his ancestors were also the ancestors of Jesus Christ. We do not often think of Jesus as being a descendant of Noah, and thus perhaps having Native Americans as his ancestors. We do not think of our Catholic beliefs as springing from many roots such as the Goddess Maya, mother of the seven sisters in the Pleiades Constellation; or from the Hindu Shiva whose name became the Hebrew Yeshua, or Jesus, or Savior in English.

In the Gospel, Jesus speaks of good trees and corrupt trees. Trees may be likened to the various world religions. Some religions deteriorate and miss Jesus’ message of love. Their adherents may all go to Guiana or some far off place and drink poison and die. Some of the misinformed may come to believe that if they do terrorist bombing, they will go straight to heaven. Some others may feel that if they deal wisely in the stock market, they will be blessed with abundance on earth. The tree in the center of the Garden of Eden may represent our evolutionary destiny.

Jesus, as descended from David was in line for the kingship of Israel. His mother, Mary, could rightly be considered as Royal Queen Mother. Jesus calls us to do the will of the Creator God, who is like an Abba or loving ancestor to Jesus and to us. What are we in this evolutionary line of royalty?

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. Ask for special healings for those who lead nations or religious bodies.

Fifth Sunday of Lent - Year A, 2011,2015,2019,etc.

Reading 1: Ezekiel 37:12-14

Therefore prophesy and say unto them, “Thus saith your God:— Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel. Then ye shall know that I am the Creator, when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up out of your graves. I shall put my spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land. Then shall ye know that I your God have spoken it, and performed it, saith your God.”

Responsorial Psalm is #130:1-8

Response: With God there is mercy, and fullness of redemption.

Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O my God.

Loving God, hear my voice: let thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications.

Response: With God there is mercy, and fullness of redemption.

If thou, Great God, shouldest mark iniquities, O God, who shall stand?

But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared.

Response: With God there is mercy, and fullness of redemption.

I wait for you, my God; my soul doth wait, and in God’s word do I hope.

My soul waiteth for God more than they that watch for the morning, more than they that watch for the new day.

Response: With God there is mercy, and fullness of redemption.

Let Israel hope in our God, for with God there is mercy, and with God there is plenteous redemption.

And God shall redeem Israel from all their iniquities. Out of the depths I cry to you, my God.

Response: With God there is mercy, and fullness of redemption.

Reading 2 is from Romans 8:8-11

To be spiritually minded is life and peace, and the carnal mind has enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if any person have not that Spirit, they are none of Christ’s. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Holy Spirit that raised up Jesus from the dead dwells in you, the One that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by the Spirit that dwelleth in you.

Gospel is from Matthew 8:5-13

And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him, and saying, “Master, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented.” And Jesus saith unto him, “I will come and heal him.” The centurion answered and said, “Master, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed. For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this person, ‘Go.’ and they go; and to another, ‘Come,’ and they come; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and they doeth it.” When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, “Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel. And I say unto you, “That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the realm of heaven. But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” And Jesus said unto the centurion, “Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee.” And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour.

Femily: Where Does God’s Spirit Dwell

Does it dwell in the justice and prison systems of the world? Does it dwell in the persons willing to invite the Spirit into their hearts? Ordinary people, perhaps the whole of  humanity has the opportunity at this moment in time to act in the name of the Holy Spirit and to direct the evolution of justice and prison systems.

Some people believe they are acting in the name of the Holy Spirit when they use their authority to order others into conformity or obedience to unjust laws. Think of all those held in prison for the political convenience of dictators. We see many examples of misguided ethics, such as soldiers and sailors claiming land in the name of their king. These soldiers and sailors believed their king was the representative of God on earth. The Native Americans have a different belief that the land belongs to all. Who owns the land? Perhaps the deer own the land. The soldiers and sailors came to believe that planting a cross on a faraway island justified killing people. If you felt threatened by indigenous residents, you could use whatever power necessary to subdue them. If we have guns or nuclear weapons, are we allowed to use them on the people who disagree with us?

Does carrying a gun make you a leader? Or an oppressor?

Then there are the ethical values represented by the sex traders. Our governments have made laws against sex trading in our countries and between our country and other countries, but there is failure in enforcement. We have evolved with sexual urges; we must learn to control our urges and to respect other people.

CURE objectives include the transformation of both justice and prison systems. How are these objectives to be accomplished? The means would be different in different countries and in various situations. One method would be useful in refugee camps or invaded countries such as the Gaza Strip.

There should be a workshop in every U.S. diocese on justice and forgiveness. What are the CURE objectives? The U.N. could be more involved in legalities of the sex trade and immigration legislation.

Sixth Sunday of Lent (Palm Sunday) - Year A, 2011,2015,2019,etc.

Reading 1 is from Isaiah 50:4-7

The Great God hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to them who are weary. God wakeneth me morning by morning; he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned. Our Good God hath opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious; neither did I turn away. I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair. I hid not my face from shame and spitting. For the Good God will help me; therefore I shall not be confounded. Therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed.

Responsorial Psalm is #22:8-9, 17-24

Response: My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?

Why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring? O my God, I cry in the day time, but thou hearest not; and in the night season, and am not silent. But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel. Our ancestors trusted in thee: they trusted, and thou didst deliver them. They cried unto thee, and were delivered: they trusted in thee, and were not confounded.

Response: My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?

I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people. All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying, ‘He trusted in God that he would be delivered; let God deliver him, seeing God delighted in him.’

Response: My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?

But thou art the God that took me out of the womb: thou didst make me hope when I was upon my mother’s breasts. I was cast upon thee from the womb: thou art my God from my mother’s belly. Be not far from me; for trouble is near and there is none to help. Many bulls have compassed me; strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round. They gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening and a roaring lion. I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint. My heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels. My strength is dried up like a potsherd; my tongue cleaveth to my jaws, and thou hast brought me into the dust of death.

Response: My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?

For dogs have compassed me; the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet. All my bones are numbered. They look and stare upon me. They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture. But be not thou far from me, O God, my strength; haste thee to help me. Deliver my soul from the sword; my darling from the power of the dog. Save me from the lion’s mouth, for thou hast heard me from the horns of the unicorns.

Response: My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?

I will declare thy name unto my brethren. In the midst of the congregation will I praise thee. Ye that fear God, praise God; all ye the seed of Jacob, glorify God; and worship God, all ye the seed of Israel. For God hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted. Neither hath God hid God’s face from the afflicted; but when they cried unto God, God listened. My praise shall be of thee in the great congregation. I will pay my vows before them that fear God. The meek shall eat and be satisfied. They shall praise God that seek righteousness. Your heart shall live for ever. All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto God, and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee. For the realm is God’s: and God is governor among the nations.

Response: My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?

The poor shall eat and be full and live in hope; all they that go down to the dust shall worship. Many shall come and declare what has taken place and proclaim righteousness unto a people that shall be born.

Reading 2 is from Philippians 2:6-11

Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let all esteem others better than themselves.  Christ came from God, but did not try to remain equal with God, but gave up everything and became a servant,  becoming like one of us. Being found in the fashion of a human, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus is Messiah and Redeemer, to the glory of God, for it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do what is good.

Gospel is from Matthew 26:14-27, 66 and 27:11-55

(26:14) Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests, and said unto them, “What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you?” And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver, and from that time Judas sought opportunity to betray Jesus. Now the first day of the feast of unleavened bread, the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Where wilt thou that we prepare for thee to eat the passover?” And Jesus said, “Go into the city to such a person, and say, ‘The Master saith:— My time is at hand; I will keep the passover at thy house with my disciples.’” And the disciples did as Jesus had appointed them; and they made ready the passover. Now when the evening was come, Jesus sat down with the twelve. And as they did eat, Jesus said, “Verily I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me.” Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false witness against Jesus, to put him to death; but found none: yea, though many false witnesses came, yet found they none. At the last came two false witnesses, and said, “This fellow said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days.’” (26: 65) Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, “He hath spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? Behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy. What think ye?” They answered and said, “He is guilty of death.” Then did they spit in his face, and buffeted him; and others smote him with the palms of their hands, saying, “Prophesy unto us, thou Christ; who is the person that smote thee?” (27:11) And Jesus stood before the governor: and the governor asked him, saying, “Art thou the King of the Jews?” And Jesus said unto him, “Thou sayest.” And when he was accused of the chief priests and elders, Jesus answered nothing. Then said Pilate unto him, “Hearest thou not how many things they witness against thee?” And Jesus answered Pilate never a word; insomuch that the governor marvelled greatly. Now at that feast the governor was wont to release unto the people a prisoner, whom they would, and they had then a notable prisoner, called Barabbas. Therefore when they were gathered together, Pilate said unto them, “Whom will ye that I release unto you? Barabbas, or Jesus which is called Christ?” For he knew that for envy they had delivered him. When he was set down on the judgment seat, his wife sent unto him, saying, “Have thou nothing to do with that just man: for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him.” But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitude that they should ask for Barabbas, and destroy Jesus. The governor answered and said unto them, “Whether of the twain will ye that I release unto you?” They said, “Barabbas.” Pilate saith unto them, “What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ?” They all say unto him, “Let him be crucified.” And the governor said, “Why, what evil hath he done?” But they cried out the more, saying, “Let him be crucified.” When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, “I am innocent of the blood of this just person; see ye to it.” Then answered all the people, and said, “His blood be on us, and on our children.” Then released he Barabbas unto them: and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified. Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the common hall, and gathered unto him the whole band of soldiers, and they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe. When they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand; and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” And they spit upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on the head. And after they had mocked him, they took the robe off from him, and put his own raiment on him, and led him away to be crucified. As they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name, whom they compelled to bear Jesus’ cross. When they were come unto a place called Golgotha, that is to say, a place of a skull, they gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall; and when he had tasted thereof, he would not drink. And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots; that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, “They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots.” And sitting down they watched him there. They set up over his head his accusation written, “THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.” There were two thieves crucified with Jesus, one on the right hand, and another on the left. They that passed by reviled him, wagging their heads, saying, “Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross.” Likewise also the chief priests mocking him, with the scribes and elders, said, “He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him. He trusted in God; let God deliver him now, if God will have him: for he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” The thieves also, which were crucified with Jesus, cast the same in his teeth. Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour. About the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is to say, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” Some of them that stood there, when they heard that, said, “This man calleth for Elias.” And straightway one of them ran, and took a sponge, and filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink. The rest said, “Let be, let us see whether Elias will come to save him.” Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom, and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent, and the graves were opened, and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, and came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many. Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, “Truly this was the Son of God.” Many women were there beholding afar off, which followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering unto him, among which was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee’s children. When the even was come, there came a rich man of Arimathaea, named Joseph, who also himself was Jesus’ disciple. He went to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered. When Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock; and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed. And there was Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary, sitting over against the sepulchre. Now the next day, that followed the day of the preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees came together unto Pilate, saying, “Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, ‘After three days I will rise again.’ Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day, lest his disciples come by night, and steal him away, and say unto the people, ‘He is risen from the dead,’ so the last error shall be worse than the first.” Pilate said unto them, “Ye have a watch: go your way, make it as sure as ye can.” So they went, and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch.

Femily: Obedient Servants

The apostles in Palestine were confronted with a tragic situation. Catholic Church leadership today is being confronted with calamities. Perhaps this is the time to reintroduce and apply the forgiveness philosophy of Jesus to the problems of the world. Some of God’s people are in positions of authority, and some of those people believe in the ability of followers of Jesus to order healings and blessings and perhaps even punishments on the spur of the moment. What can lay people do about excommunications announced by the Pope? Is each person responsible for their own excommunication or removal from the community? Do lay people remove themselves? Are lay people expected to generate their own individual consciences?

The readings for Palm Sunday confirm the punishment philosophy of our justice systems. Luke has Pilate saying, “This person has done nothing that deserves death, so I shall have him flogged, and then let him go.” Justice systems were defective in Jesus’ time and are still quite defective today. In Jesus’ time even those who were innocent got flogged. Today the innocent may spend twenty years in prison and may even get the death penalty, as Jesus received the death penalty.

The crisis in our church might be solved by a leadership team that can transform our present system of punishment into a system based on forgiveness and fulfillment, an evolutionary thrust as spoken of by Teilhard and Kung. This would be a secondary justice system that could be under or act beside national or state laws. We have examples of such effective systems in our county mediation groups, in the Truth and Reconciliation Tribunals in Rwanda, in Native American and Native African tribal justice, in small church fellowships that welcome back the sinner, and in the Bible (I Corinthians 6:1-8) where accusers are advised to take their disputes to be settled by reliable members of their community. Reliable church members who could be facilitators should consist of a team of two.

We must not forget or ignore the victims, and today many are diligently working on the perfection of the treatment for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and various other traumas. There seems to be value in the victim being listened to, by a sympathetic audience. What can the Catholic Community do to ease the pain of the victims? Where is the place of healing, such as Lourdes, where the damaged soul can be repaired? It is not fair for the Catholic laity to pay large sums of money for settlements and lawyers because of the misdeeds of some priests and the cover-up by some bishops. Besides, money payments do not always result in forgiveness of the perpetrator by the victim. Seeing the electrocution of the person who killed someone you love, does not lift the weight from your heart. Can the Catholic Church develop a Fulfillment Program or a Forgiveness Workshop that will restore the trust of the victims?

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. Ask for special healings for those who lead nations or religious bodies.

Easter Sunday, Vigil Mass - Year A, 2011,2015,2019,etc.

See Matthew for Vigil Mass, Morning Mass for Mark, Evening Mass Luke, John for Mass Early in the Day

Reading 1: Romans 6:3-11

Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of God, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin. Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ the Messiah. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.

Responsorial Psalm: 118: 1-2, 16-17, 22-23

Response: This is the day that God has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.

O give thanks unto God; for God is good: God’s mercy endureth for ever.

Let Israel now say, that God’s mercy endureth for ever.

Response: This is the day that God has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.

The right hand of God is exalted: the right hand of God doeth valiantly.

I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of God.

Response: This is the day that God has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.

The stone which the builders rejected has become the corner stone.

This is God’s doing; it is marvellous in our eyes.

Response: This is the day that God has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Reading 2: Colossians 3: 1-4

If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.

The Gospel Is From Matthew 28:1-10

In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre. And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of God descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it, with countenance like lightning, and raiment white as snow: For fear of the angel the keepers did shake, and became as dead men. And the angel said unto the women, “Fear ye not; for I know that ye seek Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here, for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where Jesus lay. And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him. Lo, I have told you.” And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy; and did run to bring his disciples word. And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, “All hail.” And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him. Then said Jesus unto them, “Be not afraid: go tell my brethren that they go into Galilee, and there shall they see me.”

Femily: An Easter Message from Buddha

The Gospel tells us about the heavy stone being rolled away from the tomb, a notable and necessary event to have happen for a resurrection. How thrilled the women must have been to see this miracle! Reading 1 (from Romans Chapter 6) talks about the body of sin being destroyed. This sounds like the Buddhist teaching about purity of mind, body, and soul. Reading 2 (from Colossians 3) advises us to set our minds on things above.

We often see a picture of Jesus carrying a lamb on his shoulder. This lamb story was spoken about 500 years before Jesus, with an explanation about sacrifice and non-violence. Here is a story about Buddha from the discourses of Sathya Sai Baba at:  <http://www.cosmicharmony.com/Av/Buddha/Buddha.htm>

“One day Gautama Buddha saw sheep being driven to be slaughtered at a Yajna (sacrifice). He tenderly lifted a sweet little lamb on his shoulder and followed the sheep to the special enclosure where the ruler of the State was performing the Yajna. On being told that the ceremonial killing of the lamb will bring great good to the ruler and the state, Buddha said, “Of course you must admit that a man, a prince, a monk is much more valuable than a tiny trivial lamb. Kill me and win merit, a hundredfold”, and advised him about the inner weaknesses and vices that are symbolized by the victims of the Yajna. Buddha argued him out of his false attachment to the paltry benefits promised for ritual correctitude. He told him that the prayer that rose from every Indian at sunrise and sunset was “Let all beings attain happiness”. To kill so that you may live longer and with fuller joy is a reprehensible act, Buddha declared. You have to sacrifice, not a bleating sheep, but your own animality, the bestial lust and greed, hate and malice. Sacrifice these and you earn the heaven of unflinching peace.

Buddha, before he attained Nirvana, summoned his step-brother Ananda to his side to impart his last message. Ananda was the son of Gautami (Buddha’s step mother). Placing his palm on the head of his younger brother, Buddha said: “My dear child! I came to the world to teach Truth. If anyone asks “Where is God?” the answer is “He is everywhere” Truth is God. Speak the Truth. Do not harm anyone. Recognize that the highest Dharma is non-violence (Ahimsa). This truth is proclaimed in the scriptures in the exhortation: “Speak the truth. Speak what is pleasing”. Buddha told Ananda that this truth was learnt by him from his own experience. He said: “When I left the palace, my father (the King) was told that I was doing a great wrong in renouncing the family. My parents, kinsmen, and others tried to put pressure on me to return to the ties of family life. These wrong efforts on their side made me more determined to pursue the spiritual path. Today I have found the truth about life. What is it? The sanctification of the five senses is the way of Truth. If the senses are polluted, of what avail are spiritual exercises? When the water in a tank is polluted, all taps will only give polluted water. Your heart is the tank. Keep it pure through purity of vision, thought, speech, and action.

Among the teachings of the Buddha to the world, the foremost was “Ahimsa” (not causing harm to anyone). Non-violence is not merely refraining from inflicting injuries on others with one’s limbs or weapons. Non-violence has to be practised with purity of mind, tongue, and body. There should be no ill feelings which is a form of violence. To cause harm to others through the body is also violence (Himsa). No one should be harmed even by speech. The speech should be sweet, pleasing and wholesome. All actions should be helpful to others.

The Buddhist prayer must be properly understood. The real meaning of the prayer is: You must divert your mind (Buddhi) towards Dharma (right conduct). And the right conduct should aim at serving society. When this is done, society gets purified. It is not enough to read the lives of Avatars and Messiahs. Their teachings should be put into practice as much as possible. People must outgrow their material attachments and develop divine love.”

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. Ask for special healings for those who lead nations or religious bodies. Ask that the nations would “beat their swords into ploughshares and their spears into pruning hooks.”

Second Sunday of Easter - Year A, 2011,2015,2019,etc.

Reading 1: Acts 2:42-47

The people continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in the breaking of the bread, and in prayers. Fear came upon every soul as many wonders and signs were done by the apostles. And all that believed were together, and had all things in common; they sold their possessions and goods, and passed them out to the others, as every person had need. They, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, praising God, and having favour with all the people, and God added to the church daily such as should be saved.

Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 118:2-4, 13-15, 22-24

Response: The stone which the builders rejected has become the corner stone.

Let Israel now say, that God’s mercy endureth for ever.

Let them now that fear God say, that his mercy endureth for ever.

Response: The stone which the builders rejected has become the corner stone.

They thrust sore at me that I might fall: but God helped me.

God is my strength and song, and is become my salvation.

Response: The stone which the builders rejected has become the corner stone.

The voice of rejoicing and salvation is in the tabernacles of the righteous.

The right hand of God doeth valiantly. This is God’s doing; it is marvellous in our eyes.

Response: The stone which the builders rejected has become the corner stone.

Reading 2: 1 Peter 1:3-9

Blessed be the God and Abba of Jesus Christ, which according to abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations; that the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.

Gospel is from Matthew 8:23-27

Jesus entered into a ship, and his disciples followed him. Behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves. But Jesus was asleep. His disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, “Rabbi, save us; we are perishing.”  Jesus saith unto them, “Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?” Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm. But the shipmates marvelled, saying, “What manner of human is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!”

Femily: There Was A Storm

In the stormy environment of first century Israel, the personality of Jesus stood out as a healer and a promoter of non-violence. His voice against the storm caused his followers to cry out, “What manner of human is this?” One thing different about Jesus was that he was in the royal line of the stand-out King David. Another piece of information is that Jesus was a Nazarean.

Nazareth may have referred to a town, and the title on the cross (Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews) may have been merely to distinguish Jesus from some other Jesus from another city.  However, if it is only a geographical location, it is strange that Jesus’ disciples are called Nazareans in Acts 24:5 when it is more likely that they were from Capernaum or other towns. The words Nazarean sect in this quote from Acts are used rather derogatorily.

On the other hand the title Nazarean appears to be a title of honor in other Biblical quotes. We have the splendid angel of Mark 16:6 pronouncing, “You seek Jesus the Nazarean!” (It is improper to translate this as Jesus of Nazareth. The Greek gives the adjectivial noun and uses “the”.) When the patrol from the chief priests comes upon Jesus in the garden (John 18:5), they are respectfully seeking Jesus the Nazarean. They fall on the ground. The gospel author would not have them use a debasing term at this serious moment.

We can make a brief analysis of Nazarean words used in the New Testament. In going through the Greek New Testament and examining the Nazarean words, we find them to be of three main types. First is the name of the town, usually given as Nazareth. Second, there is the word which is best written as Naz-a-rean. Third, there is a word which is very similar to the second, but is more like Naz-o-rean.

Taking the Gospel of Mark first, as it is probably the oldest, we find one mention of the town (Mark 1:9) and four of the Naz-a-rean type (1:24, 10:47, 14:67, 16:6).  Matthew has two mentions of the town (2:23 and 21:11) and a Naz-o-rean word at 26:71. Luke has three mentions of the town of Nazareth (1:26, 2:39, 2:51) and one of the town of Nazara (4:16).  Luke has one mention of Naz-a-rean (4:34), but this is copied from Mark’s story of the demoniac (Mark 1:24) and uses the Greek vocative that Mark employs. Luke 18:37 uses Naz-o-rean, and Luke 24:9 is found in different Greek manuscripts as both Naz-o-rean and Naz-a-rean. John uses the name of the town (1:45, 1:46) and his other mentions are all of the Naz-o-rean type (18:5, 18:7, 19:19). Acts uses only the Naz-o-rean word (2:22, 3:6, 4:10, 6:14, 22:8, 24:5 plural, 26:9) and names the town in 10:38. Fairly consistently we find that early mentions lean towards the Naz-a-rean word, and later on in Jesus’ ministry, or in the life of the church, the Naz-o-rean word is preferred.

Besides being a Canaanite offering, wine was on the questionable list, as it could affect the mind, and thus make a person less capable of serving and praising God. Also related to the mind, was the shaving of the hair of the head. The hair is very close to the thinking apparatus, and earlier peoples saw a relationship between a full head of hair and an active brain willing to serve God. Hair had a similar symbolism to blood. Blood was the life of the body; hair proved the strength of the mind. We are told of Absalom’s long flowing hair and the weight of it (II Samuel 14:26).

This Greek naz(a/o)rean variance may be explained as due to two different meanings coming from two similar Aramaic words such as carpenter and teacher. It may also be explained as due to two very similar root words, nasar and nasora. The Aramaic word nasar or nasrana may have an ending related to the Aramaic word gamrana (derived from gemar) having to do with teaching the traditional law. The second word nasora may be related to the Aramaic amora meaning a teacher who explains. In his early ministry, Jesus may have been thought of as a traditional Hebrew teacher; in his later ministry his reputation may have been upgraded to that of a psychic or seer who taught the hidden things of God. Jesus “taught the people with authority,” and not like their usual scribes and teachers (Matt 7:29).

Further associated meanings of the word nazarean which followed the Christians northeast towards Syria, may stem from the Hebrew noseri, having to do with knowledge. In Jeremiah 31:6 the word noserim is translated as watchmen on the mountains of Ephraim. Another possible translation is heralds. Watchmen have knowledge of what is going on; heralds transmit this knowledge. The Hebrew word noserim can also be associated with the Greek word gnostic, also having connotations of knowledge. Thus, the followers of Jesus  in the early centuries besides being termed Christians, were sometimes called Nazareans or Gnostics depending on the language of the area.

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. Ask for special healings for those who lead nations or religious bodies.

Third Sunday of Easter - Year A, 2011,2015,2019,etc.

Readimg 1: Acts 2:14, 22-28

Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, “Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words:— Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know. Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain. God hath raised up this Jesus, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that he should be holden of death. For David speaketh concerning him, “I foresaw God always before my face, for God is on my right hand, that I should not be moved. Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad. Moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope, because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. Thou hast made known to me the ways of life. Thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance.

Responsorial Psalm 16:1-2, 5, 7-11

Response: Preserve me, O God: for in thee do I put my trust.

O my soul, thou hast said to God, “Thou art my God.

God is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot.”

Response: Preserve me, O God: for in thee do I put my trust.

The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage.

I will bless God, who hath given me counsel; my reins also instruct me in the night seasons.

Response: Preserve me, O God: for in thee do I put my trust.

I have set God always before me. Because God is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.

Therefore I am glad, and my heart rejoiceth. My flesh also shall rest in hope.

Response: Preserve me, O God: for in thee do I put my trust.

For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.

Thou shew me the paths of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures forever.

Response: Preserve me, O God: for in thee do I put my trust.

Reading 2 is from I Peter 1:16-21

It is written, “Be ye holy; for I am holy.” If ye call on the Creator, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every person’s work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear. Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot; who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, who by Christ do believe in God, that raised Jesus up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.

Gospel  is from Matthew 8:14-22

When Jesus was come into Peter’s house, he saw Peter’s wife’s mother laid, and sick of a fever. And he touched her hand, and the fever left her. She arose, and ministered unto them. When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils, and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, “Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses. Now when Jesus saw great multitudes about him, he gave commandment to depart unto the other side of the lake. And a certain scribe came, and said unto him, “Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest.” And Jesus saith unto him, “The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.” And another of his disciples said unto him, “Rabbi, suffer me first to go and bury my father.” But Jesus said unto him, “Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.”

Femily: What Is Important when Serving on the Altar

Peter commands us in the name of God, “Be ye holy, for I am holy.” Jesus tells us:—”Follow me and let the dead bury their dead.” These two quotes seem to command us to get off our duffs and go out and preach Jesus to the world. But does the world want women preachers? It seems that many persons feel that women do not have the proper genes to be preaching. What kind of chromosomes you have are very important when the church makes decisions about who will be allowed to preach homilies or raise the host above the altar.

One of the products of God’s creation is humanity, and one possible purpose for our existence might be to increase the amount of love in the world. God’s community, the church, was established to guide us to greater love, but the authoritarian church, with its rules and regulations, runs the risk of stifling love in some areas. When its rules forbid women to officiate on the altar, women become second class citizens, and this situation makes for a decrease of love in the world.

How the church prays, shows what the church believes. Lex orandi, lex credendi, the Latin phrase left over from the teenage years of the church, means literally that the law of praying is the law of believing. In our worship forms, we express our beliefs. When we worship only under the guidance of male priests, the belief that shows is that women are a lesser species, not equal with men in the sight of God. Actions speak louder than words, and liturgical actions speak loudly of male supremacy.

Those who lead our worship forms must be celibate males. To guide the community in remembering Jesus Christ properly, celebacy and maleness seem to be the most important items. The quality of love does not appear to be a necessary requirement. Observing this, women inwardly wonder why it is necessary to be a celibate male in order to lift high the cup of blessing. With each married episcopal priest that becomes a catholic, the question of ‘why celibacy` must ring loudly in the ears of the whole catholic community.

The majority of priests living today have been ordained believing that to be celibate is the single most important requirement of a viable priesthood. If you tell yourself day after day that celibacy is necessary, and that familiarity with women is dangerous for you, you are liable to develop lifelong attitudes that set you apart from the ordinary human being. This emphasis on celibacy might through the normal channels of repression make sex into something unclean, when it is one of God’s greatest gifts to humankind, and when it is an outstanding way for God’s love to flow from human to human. We probably owe much to the desert friars of the early Christian centuries for the debasement of women. Those of them who repressed all their human and ordinary feelings, naturally came up with a sub-conscious full of seductive women, that made them all the more sure that the devil was in league with the female.

Celibacy can be a very positive action. There is much good in celibacy, and for some people it is the state of life to which God calls them, and in which they will find their fulfillment. However, celibacy is a very personal affair and should not be forced on anyone. Each human should be able to make up his/her own mind as to which state God calls him/her. Some find it is easier to serve God in the celibate state; others find that reinforcement from a loving spouse helps them to live a more christian life.

Celibacy is looked at by some practicioners as a trade-off. They believe that if you divert your loving impulses from your everyday human needs, then it is easier to love and to serve the whole human race. The average priest often homilizes the opposite opinion to his Sunday morning audience when he tells them to make peace within themselves before they rush out to reform the world. Paul sounds the same advice when he tells Timothy that a deacon should be able to keep their own family in line before they tackle church problems. It would be edifying if all priests were required to show evidence of being a good spouse or parent before they were allowed to advise others on family problems. Experience in caring and sharing seems like a more necessary requirement for the priesthood than celibacy.

There is sometimes the objection to non-celibate clergy on the grounds that catholic parishes can’t support a priest and his family. These objectors overlook the fact that all these parishes are supporting housekeepers, and that with a married priest, the parish would get the housekeeper free of charge. If priests were allowed to have children, the parish would also reap the benefits of the priest’s understanding of parenting, gained through his first hand struggles with being a parent. Yet being a parent doesn’t automatically make a person insightful; the celibate may have a loving understanding of children. There doesn’t seem to be a direct relationship between the quality of celibacy and a person functioning as a loving caring human being.

Women not only have to put up with the put down of being told that only celibate males can function on the altar. They automatically go along with sexist language in prayers and in readings. Our Bible was compiled by men, who carefully left out the Gospel according to Mary Magdalene and the book of Faith-Wisdom in which Jesus is quoted as saying that whoever the Spirit inspires, is divinely ordained to speak, whether man or woman.

Our Judaic-Christian heritage is replete with sexist put downs. The cult of circumcision was designed to keep power in the hands of the ‘good old boys’. The prophets who saw the unlovingness of this situation urged the circumcision of the heart. It is elevating to think of a circumcised heart, with its ego nipped in the bud, so that infection from selfish desires won’t set in and cause spiritual death. Even women can have circumcised hearts.

The Holy Spirit working in the early church managed to change the requirement of entry into the community from circumcision of the flesh to baptism, a visible sign applicable to both men and women. Women shared in the early governance and service of the community. As time passed and liturgies took shape, the dominant male took over the ceremonies, and women were advised to keep silence and to do the housekeeping chores.

Women’s hands are good enough to dust the altar, polish the paten, and fill the ciborium with wine. Her feet are good enough to walk all over the altar doing menial tasks. Her voice is good enough to be heard on the altar discussing the rituals of cleaning, but when it comes to telling the people that Jesus loves them as he told his friends to do, her vocal chords are considered to have the wrong number of chromosomes. Women are advised that Jesus was not female, and so they cannot expect to facilitate his worship.

If it is a case of having a body like Jesus, perhaps we ought to consider other characteristics, such as fatness or thinness, color of hair and eyes, whether one is extrovert or introvert. One might even consider if the candidate for the priesthood is a gentle person with healing in their hands and love in their heart. If we are forced to consider chromosomes, we wonder how many priests of today have chromosomes like those of Jesus, who was totally human, but chemically (as the church would have it) derived from a human mother.

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. Ask for special healings for those who lead nations or religious bodies.

Fourth Sunday of Easter - Year A, 2011,2015,2019,etc.

Reading 1: Acts 2:14, 36-41

Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, “Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words. Let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made the same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, “Good people, what shall we do?” Then Peter said unto them, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as our God shall call.” And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, “Save yourselves from this untoward generation.” Then they that gladly received his word were baptized. The same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.

Responsorial Psalm: 139:7-13

Response: Whither shall I go from thy spirit? Or whither shall I flee from thy presence?

If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there;

If I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.

Response: Whither shall I go from thy spirit? Or whither shall I flee from thy presence?

If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;

Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.

Response: Whither shall I go from thy spirit? Or whither shall I flee from thy presence?

If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me.

The darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day. Darkness and light are both alike to thee.

Response: Whither shall I go from thy spirit? Or whither shall I flee from thy presence?

Reading 2 is from I Peter 2:20-25

For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? But if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. For even hereunto were ye called; because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps; who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth. When he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously. His own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness. By his stripes ye were healed. For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.

Gospel  is from Matthew 8:28-33

When Jesus was come to the other side into the country of the Gergesenes, there met him two possessed with devils, coming out of the tombs, exceeding fierce, so that no man might pass by that way. And, behold, they cried out, saying, “What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? Art thou come hither to torment us before the time?” And there was a good way off from them an herd of many swine feeding. So the devils besought him, saying, “If thou cast us out, suffer us to go away into the herd of swine.” And he said unto them, “Go.” And when they were come out, they went into the herd of swine: and, behold, the whole herd of swine ran violently down a steep place into the sea, and perished in the waters. And they that kept them fled, and went their ways into the city, and told everything, and what was befallen to the possessed of the devils. And, behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus. When they saw him, they besought him that he would depart out of their coasts.

Femily: Poetry

Many parts of the Bible are like poetry. The Psalms are songs that early community members sang to praise God, and we still sing them today. Other parts of the Bible had portions that rhymed. When I was a child, I thought I could improve on the Bible by making some of the stories rhyme in English. I didn’t know that the biblical original was written, or spoken, in many different languages. Many versions of the Bible have been written. Many interpretations have been constructed, but still God’s word of compassion shines through, in spite of war stories, or religionists that thought the way they understood God was the way all members of the community should worship.

Here is a poem called Legion that I wrote on my interpretation of the pigs that committed suicide.

I dwell in the tombs beside the shore, and I roam in the mountains beside the sea.

And no one bothers me any more. They know they should not bother me.

They used to bind me up in chains, but like some dog upon the ground

I’d roll and break with little pain, the chains with which they had me bound.

But what is this? A man advances. It is a step, a face I know.

Yes, look! He’s giving friendly glances. I knew him once, quite long ago.

I’ll grab my chains and wave them wild. I’ll send an echo through the graves;

Then they will know I am no mild and friendly one who gently raves.

“Be wary! I am full of devils. They call me Legion for their horde.

They catch me with their terrible revels. I am not worth thy mercy, Lord.”

But if thou wilt; I see thou wilt; see yonder that vast herd of swine

Grazing on that grassy knoll; cast us there by power of thine.

Then sudden like a crash of thunder, I feel a new life full on me.

See there— the herd of swine assunder, dash violently into the sea.

The keepers rush into the town to tell those there what here befell,

And calm and clothed in a new gown, I sit at his feet, whole and well

For he had noticed me.

This might not be only the story of a miracle on a demented person. It also might refer to the Jewish custom of not eating pork. Those who keep pigs and eat pork are considered unclean by those of the opposite persuasion. Jesus came to help us accept each other’s diversity.

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. Ask for special healings for those who lead nations or religious bodies.

Fifth Sunday of Easter - Year A, 2011,2015,2019,etc.

Reading 1:Acts 6:1-7

In those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration. Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, “It is not reasonable that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables. Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven persons of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word. This saying pleased the whole multitude, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch. They set these seven before the apostles, and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them. And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.

Responsorial Psalm: 33:1-5, 18-19

Response: Great God, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.

Rejoice in God, O ye righteous: for praise is comely for the upright.

Praise God with harp; sing unto God with the psaltery and an instrument of ten strings.

Response: Great God, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.

Sing unto God a new song; play skilfully with a loud noise.

For the word of God is right; and all God’s works are done in truth.

Response: Great God, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.

God loveth righteousness and judgment; the earth is full of the goodness of our God.

Behold, the eye of God is upon them that fear God, upon them that hope in God’s mercy;

Response: Great God, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.

God will deliver their soul from death, and keep them alive in famine.

Our soul waiteth for God who is our help and our shield.

Response: Great God, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.

Reading 2 is from I Peter 2:1-9

Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, all evil speakings, as newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby. If so be ye that have tasted that God is gracious, to whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious; ye also, as lively stones, are built up as a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, “Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious; and those who believeth on him shall not be confounded.” Unto you therefore which believe, Jesus is precious; but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, and a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient; whereunto also they were appointed. But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.

Gospel is from Matthew 12:1-8

At that time Jesus went on the sabbath day through the corn; and his disciples were hungry, and they began to pluck the ears of corn and to eat. But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, “Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the sabbath day.” But he said unto them, “Have ye not read what David did, when he was hungry, and they that were with him; how he entered into the house of God, and did eat the shewbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the priests? Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless? But I say unto you, that in this place is one greater than the temple. But ye do not know the meaning of, ‘I will have mercy, and not sacrifice,’ so ye have condemned the guiltless. For the Son of Man is greater than rules about the sabbath day.

Femily: Breaking Laws Made by Religious Specialists

Conscientious humanbeings are more wise than those who make pronouncements about the Sabbath or other churchly regulations. Pope Benedict wisely condemns abortion, but he does not consider that a man is always the root cause of an abortion, but men are not excommunicated for their initiation of a woman’s plight. Then we have the example of many Catholics who choose to follow their conscience about women’s ordination to the priesthood. But Catholic Church leaders feel that they are wiser about women and female leadership, even though women across the world are denied their human rights by patriarchal governmental laws that correspond to prejudicial church laws. Given due respect and polite hearing about their problems, the Sons and Daughters of Men and Women will be able to come up with wise solutions to earth’s problems. For instance, what do lay people think about celibacy?

One of the products of God’s creation is humanity, and one possible purpose for our existence might be to increase the amount of love in the world. God’s community, the church, was established to guide us to greater love, but the authoritarian church, with its rules and regulations, runs the risk of stifling love in some areas. When its rules forbid women to officiate on the altar, women become second class citizens, and this situation makes for a decrease of love in the world.

When the Pope sees no way to ordain women, he makes all women of the world seem a little less. It makes it OK for African women not to own property. It lets Iranian men not cupable when they have honor killings of their sisters.

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. Ask for special healings for those who lead nations or religious bodies.

Sixth Sunday of Easter - Year A, 2011,2015,2019,etc.

Reading 1: Acts 8:5-8,14-17

Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them. And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. For unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, came out of many that were possessed with them; and many taken with palsies, and that were lame, were healed. And there was great joy in that city. Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John, who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Spirit. (For as yet the Holy Spirit had fallen upon none of them as they were baptized only in the name of Jesus Christ.) Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.

Responsorial Psalm 66:1-7, 16, 20

Response: Let all the earth cry out to God with joy!

Make a joyful noise unto God, all ye lands; sing forth the honour of God’s name.

Say unto God, “Awesome art thou in thy works! Through the greatness of thy power thy enemies submit to thee.

Response: Let all the earth cry out to God with joy!

All the earth shall worship thee, and shall sing unto thee; they shall sing to thy name.

Come and see the awesome works God is doing toward the children of human beings.

Response: Let all the earth cry out to God with joy!

God turned the sea into dry land; they went through the flood on foot. There did we rejoice in God.

God ruleth in power for ever; God’s eyes behold the nations. Let not the rebellious exalt themselves.

Response: Let all the earth cry out to God with joy!

Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what God hath done for my soul.

Blessed be God, which hath not turned away my prayer, nor taken mercy from me.

Response: Let all the earth cry out to God with joy!

Reading 2 is from I Peter 3:15-22

Sanctify God in your hearts, and be ready always to give an answer to every person that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; having a good conscience, that whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ. For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing. For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God; being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit. By the Spirit also, Christ went and preached unto those in prison, which sometime were disobedient. There was longsuffering also in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water, when the land gave way. The like figure of the water of baptism does even now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.

Gospel:  Matthew 12:14-21 (servant of nations)

Then the Pharisees went out, and held a council against him, how they might destroy him. But when Jesus knew it, he withdrew himself from thence: and great multitudes followed him, and he healed them all; and charged them that they should not make him known, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, “Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall shew judgment to the Gentiles. He shall not strive, nor cry; neither shall any person hear his voice in the streets. A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory. All nations will place their hope in him.”

Femily: The Job of the Christian Servant

Jesus became the dutiful son and the obedient servant who gave his all, in order to save the nations through the practice of loving kindness.

What is the message that we can carry from Jesus to the nations? We can sing songs that advocate peace-building. We can carry the message of Jesus to those in prison, thus taking the Holy Spirit to those in prison. We can attempt to christianize both sentencing and the prison system. We can help to ease the pain of both victims of crime and victims of the prison system. We can transform the world as we come up against those systems that promote violence in our daily routine.

As responsible church members and members of the body of Christ, we can (taken from the 1978 Statement on Community and Crime of the United States Catholic Conference):

1.  Foster Christian values through education, liturgy, and media. An example of action in this case would be to campaign against TV immorality by writing advertising sponsors of non-support.

2.  Providing forums for the discussion of origin of types of crime and criminal justice issues. There could be a debate on capital punishment with a local politician.

3.  Sponsoring discussions and developing materials on Christian approaches to reduce and prevent all types of crime. Child battering and wife battering, as well as non-violence programs could be aired in this category.

4.  Organize exchanges between criminal justice professionals and citizens and ex-offenders about the problems, services and needs of the community.  Have an ex-offender come to explain his needs.

5.  Take a stand in regard to “white collar crime,” political bribery, and services for those living in poverty.

Then we might understand the joy of Philip when he was successful in preaching to the citizens of Samaria. We might sing with the Psalmist:—  “Make a joyful noise unto God, all ye lands; sing forth the honour of God’s name. Say unto God, ‘Awesome art thou in thy works! Through the greatness of thy power thy enemies submit to thee.’ Let all the earth cry out to God with joy!”

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. Ask for special healings for those who lead nations or religious bodies.

Ascension Thursday - Year A, 2011,2015,2019,etc.

Reading 1 is from Acts 1:1-11

In my first account, Theophilus, I dealt with all that Jesus did and taught until the day he was taken up to heaven, having first instructed the apostles he had chosen through the Holy Spirit. In the time after his suffering he showed them in many convincing ways that he was alive, appearing to them over the course of forty days speaking to them about the reign of God. On one occasion when he met with them, he told them not to leave Jerusalem: “Wait, rather, for the fulfillment of my Abba’s promise, of which you have heard me speak. John baptized with water, but within a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” While they were with him, they asked, “Rabbi, are you going to restore the rule to Israel now?” His answer was: “The exact time it is not yours to know. The Father has reserved that to himself. You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes down on you; then you are to be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, yes, even to the ends of the earth.” No sooner had he said this than he was lifted up before their eyes in a cloud which took him from their sight. They were still gazing up into the heavens when two men dressed in white stood beside them. “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking up at the skies? This Jesus who has been taken from you will return, just as you saw him go up into the heavens.”

Responsorial Psalm is #47:2-3, 6-9

Response: God mounts the throne to shouts of joy; a blare of trumpets for our God.

All you people, clap your hands, shout to God with cries of gladness.

For God, the Most High, the Awesome, is the great ruler over all the earth.

Response: God mounts the throne to shouts of joy; a blare of trumpets for our God.

God mounts the throne amid shouts of joy; our God, amid trumpet blasts.

Sing praise to God, sing praise; sing praise to our ruler, sing praise.

Response: God mounts the throne to shouts of joy; a blare of trumpets for our God.

The Ruler of all the earth, is God; sing hymns of praise.

God reigns over the nations; God sits on the holy throne.

Response: God mounts the throne to shouts of joy; a blare of trumpets for our God.

Reading 2 is from Ephesians 1:17-23

May the Great God, the Creator of All, grant you a spirit of wisdom and insight to know divinity clearly. May God enlighten your innermost vision that you may know the great hope to which God has called you, the wealth of God’s glorious heritage to be distributed among the members of the church, and the immeasurable scope of God’s power in us who believe. It is like the strength God showed in raising Christ from the dead and seating him at God’s right hand in heaven, high above every principality, power, virtue and domination, and every name that can be given in this age or the age to come. God has put all things under Christ’s feet and has made him thus exalted, the head of the church, which is Christ’s body. The fullness of God’s Spirit fills the universe in all its parts.

Gospel  Matthew 28:16-20

Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them. And when they saw him, they worshipped him, but some doubted. And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit; teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you. And, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.” Amen.

Femily: Creedal Reform

With talk about liturgy reform, is there also the possibility of creedal reform? The Nicene Creed of the Roman Catholic Church was pulled together at the Council of Nicaea held in Nicaea (present-day Iznik in Turkey) in 325 A.D. This first ecumenical council was convoked by and under the power and authority of the Roman Emperor Constantine I. The people of the Catholic Church who say this creed are hampered by the archaic language which can imply erroneous beliefs, even though 1700 years ago in the Latin language, something entirely different may have been on the male minds that created this dogma. Two important changes have taken place in our language and beliefs. We no longer must believe that God is a male person, and we no longer assume that the English word man means both men and women.

With such a biased gender-infected creed, it’s no wonder we are condemned to continue our patriarchal insinuations. We need revisions which incorporate the message of Jesus about an Almighty and All-Loving God. If we must have a creed, it would be more unifying to announce about one special human being bringing the message of love and forgiveness to earth.

To alleviate this confusion, first, I would like to replace all the male words with female words in the Nicene Creed. Then, secondly, I would like to replace all the male words with non-gender descriptions that seem to promote the message of Jesus. In either case, I do not believe that I will come up with belief statements that ring true. I am only trying to emphasize how many women may feel when they say, “For us men and for our salvation, he came down from heaven.” It is no wonder that the Roman Catholic Church remains so patriarchal, and anti-women-priests, when they have their congregates repeatedly affirm a male God.

Here is a creed with female over-emphasis:

We believe in one God, the Mother, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is seen and unseen.We believe in one Lady, Salvatia Christina, the only Daughter of God, eternally begotten of the Mother, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, one in Being with the Mother. Through her all things were made. For us women and for our salvation she came down from heaven: by the power of the Holy Spirit she was born of the Virgin Mary, and became woman. For our sake she was crucified under Pontius Pilate; she suffered, died, and was buried. On the third day she rose again in fulfillment of the Scriptures; she ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Mother. She will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and her Queendom will have no end. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lady, the Giver of life, who proceeds from the Mother and the Daughter. With the Mother and the Daughter she is worshiped and glorified. She has spoken through the prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.

How does the male reader feel about his seeming exclusion? Now for a creed that de-emphasizes gender and uses words that promote the message of Jesus.

We believe in one God, the All-Loving, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, and of all that is seen and unseen. We believe in one human being Jesus Christ, the offspring of God whose mind was most open to the mind of God, and whose message of love and forgiveness most reflected the love and forgiveness of God. This human Jesus Christ was born of a special human Mary, by the power of the Holy Spirit, in order that all humanity might hear the gospel message. This Jesus was crucified; suffered, died, and was buried; and then rose to live in the hearts of those who would hear and act on the message of truth and compassion. Those who hear this gospel and share the goods of the earth with their fellow humans will partake in a holy community of mercy and salvation forever. We believe in an all-encompassing Holy Spirit which proceeds from God, gives life to all creation, and is willing to dwell in all human beings. This Holy Spirit has spoken through the prophets, lives with the communities that practice compassion and forgiveness, acts in us when we raise our hands to bless or help one another, comforts the dying, and gives us hope for the resurrection of the body and eternal life of the spirit.

These two attempts at creedal statements leave much to be desired, but they may help Catholic Christians to formulate just what they are believing when they recite the Nicene Creed. It might also help people to think about what they truly believe about their purposes and God’s purposes. To be a God for all the Earth and for all the Universe, God must be beyond male and female, beyond Rome, beyond Islam, beyond our earthly view of heaven, beyond Black Holes, and yet ‘closer than hands and feet, and nearer than seeing’.

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. Ask for special healings for those who lead nations or religious bodies. Ask that the nations would “beat their swords into ploughshares and their spears into pruning hooks.”

Seventh Sunday of Easter - Year A, 2011,2015,2019,etc.

Reading 1 is from Acts 1:12-14

Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a Sabbath day’s journey. And when they were come in, they went up into an upper room, where abode both Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas the brother of James. These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.

Responsorial Psalm is #27:1-4, 7-8

Response: I believe that I shall see the goodness of God in the land of the living.

God is my light and my salvation. Whom shall I fear? God is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell.

Response: I believe that I shall see the goodness of God in the land of the living.

Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear.

Though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident.

Response: I believe that I shall see the goodness of God in the land of the living.

One thing have I desired of God, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in God’s house all the days of my life,

To behold the beauty of God, and to enquire in God’s temple.

Response: I believe that I shall see the goodness of God in the land of the living.

Hear, O God, when I cry with my voice. Have mercy also upon me, and answer me.

When thou saidst, “Seek ye my face,” my heart said unto thee, “Thy face, O God, will I seek.”

Response: I believe that I shall see the goodness of God in the land of the living.

Reading 2 is I Peter 4:13-16

Rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you. On their part Christ is evil spoken of, but on your part Christ is glorified. But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people’s matters. Yet if any one suffer as a Christian, let them not be ashamed; but let them glorify God on this behalf.

Gospel is Matthew 6:5-14

When thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are; for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of others. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Abba which is in secret; and thy Abba which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do; for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not ye therefore like unto them; for your Abba knoweth what things ye have need of before ye ask. After this manner therefore pray ye:— Beloved Abba which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come; thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil; for thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Abba will also forgive you.

Femily: Prayer and Forgiveness

“Forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” I am sure you recognize these words. They are from The Lord’s Prayer as in Matthew 6, verses 12 and 13, according to the Confraternity Edition of the New Testament. This excerpt leads to two very important topics, forgiveness and evil. My objective is to stir you to think about these two topics and to think about how they relate to you and to our political leadership.

The whole prayer is a wonderful creation. It has been analyzed many times by many authorities, prayed by uncountable numbers of people, and given comfort to more uncountable numbers. Where did Jesus pull it from? Some pieces come from pre-Christian theology. One could write a book on just the words Our Father. Contrary to popular opinion, the word Father to describe God was used by many religious groups. Take the Roman God Jupiter. He was the father god of the early Romans. If you analyze the name Jupiter, it is divided into two parts. Ju is like the French word Dieu which means god, and piter is the Latin word pater which means father. So you see, just in the start of The Prayer, Jesus is addressing a rather universal idea of who God was in that culture.

The ending sections of The Lord’s Prayer also carry universal ideas or commentary about controversial topics of Jesus’ day, and of before Jesus’ day, and of our present day. Forgiveness and evil are two quantities that we try not to think about, but they lie pretty heavily in our subconscious and in our cultural environment. We can’t handle them. We don’t like their implications.

The first section I want to discuss is usually quoted thus, “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.” I remember listening to a friend say the Our Father. When she came to this section, she said, “Forgive us our trespasses,” and completely ignored the “as we forgive those who trespass against us.” Could it be that she subconsciously wanted God’s forgiveness badly, but didn’t want to have anything to do with giving forgiveness to others who she was very annoyed with? Isn’t that the way we all are? Forgiving others is a very difficult thing to do. In fact, all of us have someone that we remember with distaste or even try very hard not to think about at all. On the personal level, I do volunteer work in prison, and I find it very difficult when a prison official denies my entry into the prison or threatens my peacemaking objectives. I can brood over such behavior for days, and can only find some sort of temporary release in praying for his general welfare and fulfillment. I realize that my brooding is not good for my health, and that if I withhold forgiveness (according to this section of the Lord’s Prayer), God is going to withhold forgiveness from me. This is not just a statement in the prayer; it is a psychological truth. If we hold rancor in our souls, it will turn and wound our own soul.

Let’s look at this forgiveness clause on an international level. Suppose our previous president prayed this phrase, beseeching God to forgive him (George W. Bush and his personal misdeeds) as he, the President, forgave Saddam Hussein and Saddam’s personal misdeeds. There suddenly seems to be two levels to this act of forgiving and two types of sinning that is to be forgiven. Perhaps the president has forgiven Saddam’s personal actions, and consequently can expect God to forgive his personal actions. But on the level of international or authoritarian ethics, if one is president or king, one may be expected to execute God’s judgment and God’s justice. If one sees a leader persecuting his people, and one has the power to depose that leader, isn’t one duty bound to stop that persecution, by any means under his control, even to the dropping of 28,000 bombs?

Looking at this forgiveness situation from a personal level, one might believe that a president with such an unforgiving stance, is asking God to come after him and his country with an equal number of  bombs. Looking at this from the more elevated level of power and authority, one might conclude that if George W. Bush did not attempt to overthrow such evil, he would be disobeying God. Perhaps there is one set of rules for the common people and another set of rules for political or religious leaders.

There are many sections of the Bible that justify violence. Take, for instance, I Samuel 15:3, “Go and strike down Amalek; … Do not spare him, but kill man and woman, babe and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.” There are more peaceable quotations such as Matthew 6:14, “If you forgive others their failings, your heavenly Father will forgive you yours; but if you do not forgive others, your Father will not forgive your failings either.” The Bible gives us images of both an angry God and a forgiving God. We and our leaders have a choice between punishment and restoration. We must give the issue careful consideration, and then make a responsible choice. Keep in mind that the Bible represents different cultures as tribes evolved from wandering nomads to city dwellers. Perhaps in their enthusiasm to be righteous, some of our political leaders are using the wrong method to fight the evil in the world.

Evil. What is evil? The next phrase of The Lord’s Prayer according to Confraternity version of Matthew, may give us an inkling as to what evil is. It reads, “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”  The Jerusalem Bible translates this same phrase as, “And do not put us to the test, but save us from the evil one.” We have a choice as to which translation we are to accept. Evil one sounds like a person. The single word evil sounds like general societal misbehavior, like the definition of an original sin because of our evolutionary heritage, like a problem we are not personally responsible for. For instance, some of my friends tell me that no one want to make war or drop bombs, but that’s the way our society is, and if you are going to get along in a particular society or church or community, you go with its culture and abide by its laws. As the saying goes, “Love America or leave it!” Sometimes I protest and say, “Don’t we have a responsibility to change the culture if we find it evil or full of temptations?”

From our quotes of The Lord’s Prayer, it sounds like temptation and evil have a connection. We ask not to be led into one, and we ask to be delivered from the other. I have heard people claim that they do not believe in evil. They say that God is a Process and in this process we continually make choices. Some of these choices are better than others. They quote Genesis 1:31 that says God made the whole earth and that it was good. They therefore conclude there is no such thing as evil. They believe that there is only good and more good, and we are doing very well if we choose what is more good. On the other hand, these same people do believe in temptation, that there are urgings floating around encouraging us to make less positive choices. “Lead us not into temptation,” and “do not put us to the test,” make it sound like God is responsible for whatever temptations or tests we come up against. There definitely are such things. What tests or temptations would you like to avoid? I would like to avoid being bombed or starved or imprisoned or crucified or from the temptation of using power over others. I pray that God will deliver me from such evils or from these lesser choices that human beings make.

Now that I have given you some thoughts on forgiveness and evil, I want to encourage you to meditate on these phrases from The Lord’s Prayer, to interpret for yourselves the meanings of the words,  forgiveness and evil, and to decide what are temptations and tests to avoid.  Another issue I raised that you might think about was whether or not world leaders should practice forgiveness, or bomb other people as special emissaries serving God’s justice. My last question to you is:- Are our society and culture OK and should we go along with the powers that be in an orderly fashion; or is our society heading in the wrong direction, and  are we obliged to turn it in a direction that is more forgiving?

The decision is up to you.

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. Ask for special healings for those who lead nations or religious bodies.

Femily and Readings for Pentecost - Year A, 2011,2015,2019,etc.

Reading 1 is from Acts 2:1-11

When the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven. Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every person heard them speak in their own language. And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, “Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans? And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born? Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia, Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes, Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.”

Responsorial Psalm is #104:1, 24, 29-31, 34

Response: I will sing unto God as long as I live. I will sing praise to my God while I have my being.

Bless the Great God, O my soul. O my God, thou art very great; thou art clothed with honour and majesty.

O God, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all. The earth is full of thy riches.

Response: I will sing unto God as long as I live. I will sing praise to my God while I have my being.

Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled. Thou takest away their breath, they die, and return to dust.

Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created. And thou renewest the face of the earth.

Response: I will sing unto God as long as I live. I will sing praise to my God while I have my being.

The glory of God shall endure for ever; God shall rejoice in all God’s works.

My meditation of God shall be sweet. I will be glad in our God.

Response: I will sing unto God as long as I live. I will sing praise to my God while I have my being.

Reading 2 is I Corinthians 12:3-7, 12-13

Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed. No person can say that Jesus is the Messiah, but by the Holy Spirit. Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administrations, but the same God. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body; so also is Christ. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.

Gospel from Matthew 6:19-21

Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal, for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Femily: Building Loving Community

The human is often found being inhuman to other human beings. We need a proven method to build loving community. We repeat that the family ‘that prays together, stays together’, but that adage may not always hold true. There are differences of religion that affect community building in many countries. Iran is 99% Shi’ite; Iraq is 65% Shi’ite and 30% Suni; Syria and Saudi Arabia are Suni dominated. In the USA there are Fundamentalists that are at odds with other fundamentalists. Declaring war on a religious group only makes more terrorists and causes fear. When will Israel and U.S. politicos learn that by acting in a terrorist manner, you only create more terrorists? You don’t bomb other people’s countries. It’s not polite; it’s not Christian; and besides, they might retaliate. People still dream of a peaceful world. Communities have different needs. Older communities need cheaper health care. We should see older prisoners as employable tax-paying citizens and as contributing members of society.

Would all those who cause terror with their weapons be willing to relinquish their weapons? Let the women decide if they want guns in their homes. Let the Iraqi women decide if they want guns in their homes and cities. Suggest that homeowners put up big signs saying, NO GUNS IN MY HOME!

We can take our needs to God in prayer. We can ask for: 1- Moral elections that don’t exclude minorities and prisoners. 2- New political leadership here and abroad (making for feminine equality). 3- New religious leadership (rather, facilitation) that doesn’t promote celibacy. One reason given back in the Middle Ages for celibacy was to ensure that priests had no legal offspring who could inherit church property. Its main purpose was not to prevent priests from having sexual encounters.

Jesus is seated at God’s right hand. Who is seated at God’s left hand? If we are on the side of a peace-loving God, we have the freedom to be kind; the freedom to be generous. We can stop going down the pathway of punishment and oppression. We will our own creation and the creation of those around us. There is a degree of addiction (patterns of behavior) that we are willing to tolerate, but we have the ability to choose positive directions. We can pray for positive outcomes. By positive thinking, we can “lay up for ourselves treasures in heaven.”

What can we do for the stranger who lives within our territory. You can practice immigration law without being an attorney. Immigration Law and Immigrant Customs Enforcement (ICE) is very arbitrary and political. A treaty in the Senate prevails over domestic law. This means that if our country ratified the United Nations Human Rights Law, our immigration policy would have to be updated. Is the U.S. population giving up their freedom in the hopes of getting security? That’s a false hope! Closing down rights to protect the people only cancels more rights. Giving up freedom for security is inviting a police state. Taking care of the down-trodden is one way to have treasures in heaven.

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. Ask for special healings for those who lead nations or religious bodies.

(The Mass order changes back to Ordinary Time. We are reminded of God’s loving care and reintroduced to the Spirit of Wisdom. Trinity Sunday and Corpus Christi take precedence over the Sundays of Ordinary Time. Second section of Ordinary Time runs from the day after Pentecost to the Saturday before the First Sunday in Advent.)

Trinity Sunday - Year A, 2011,2015,2019,etc.

Reading 1 is from Isaiah 10:1-2; 11:1-5

Woe to the legislators of infamous laws, to those who issue tyrannical degrees, who refuse justice to the unfortunate and cheat the poor among my people of their rights, who make widows their prey and rob the orphan. But one day a shoot shall sprout from the root of Jesse, and from this sprout a bud shall blossom. God’s Good Spirit shall rest upon that person, a Spirit of wisdom and understanding, a Spirit of counsel and of strength, a Spirit of knowledge and of reverence for God. Not by appearance shall that person judge, nor by hearsay, decide; but that one shall judge the poor with justice, and decide aright for the land’s afflicted. The ruthless shall be turned aside by words of wisdom; and by calmness and concern, the wicked will be transformed.

Responsorial Psalm is #23:1-6

The Blessed Spirit is my shepherd; I shall not want.

The Blessed Spirit makes me lie down in green pastures, and leads me beside the still waters.

The Blessed Spirit restores my soul, and leads me in the paths of righteousness for the sake of holiness.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil;

for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies;

thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life;

and I will dwell in the house of the Loving Creator for ever.

Reading 2 is from Hebrews 10:1-7

Gospel is Matthew 7:7-12

Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth; and those that seeketh findeth; and to them that knocketh it shall be opened. Or what person is there of you, whom if their child ask bread, will they give him a stone? Or if they ask a fish, will they give that child a serpent? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Abba which is in heaven give good things to them that ask? Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that persons should do to you, do ye even so to them:- for this is the law and the prophets.

Femily: Don’t Be Afraid.

The best way to serve God is to be kind to your neighbor. God has not given us a Spirit of fear!

This femily is about fear-mongers. First, I will give you a definition for a Fear-monger. A monger is a dealer or trader, often a discreditable dealer whose price is not worth his goods. Many of our politicians are fear-mongers. They deal in fear. They will try to make us afraid of the immigrant by blaming immigrants for sexual offenses. However, immigrants are very unlikely to be sexual offenders. Your most usual sexual offender is someone in your own family taking advantage of another family member. Immigrants are usually law-abiding people; they do not want to break the law and be deported.

Fear-mongering politicians will try to make us afraid of the people in prison. They say, “These are evil unsalvable people; let us keep them in prison forever and throw away the key. Let us give them the death penalty.” In reality, prisoners are much like us. They are horrified by their crime, as we are horrified when we find ourselves losing our temper in a controversial incident. The majority of the incarcerated, given restorative programs, are able to reenter society successfully. As taxpaying citizens, we should support positive educational programs for the incarcerated, so that they will be job-ready when they have served their sentence.

Fear-mongering politicians with international issues will try to make us afraid of leaders of neighboring countries. This can lead to war, and to the death of many of our own citizens and those of the other country. The fear-monger assures us that he will take care of us, that we can trust in his judgment. We must resist the desire to believe in such assumptions; if we listen to such leaders, we are giving up our freedom to make our own decisions about ethical and political matters.

When you are confronted with a fear-mongering politician who is working on your gullibility, call his bluff by speaking out for peaceful and world-building alternatives. Remember the words of the angel to Mary in Luke 1:30! The angels at the tomb say it to the women. Jesus says in Matthew 10:26:- “Be not afraid!” Where did Jesus hear it? Jeremiah 1:8? Isaiah 43:5?

Then there is the quote, “Perfect love casts out fear.” and its antithesis, “Perfect fear casts out love!” Don’t let the politicians make you afraid. God has not given us a Spirit of fear; God has given us a Spirit of love.

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. Ask for special healings for those who lead nations or religious bodies.

Corpus Christi - Year A, 2011,2015,2019,etc.

Reading 1 is from Exodus 34:4-6, 8-9

Moses hewed two tables of stone like unto the first; and rose up early in the morning, and went up unto Mount Sinai, as God had commanded him. And God descended in a cloud, and stood with him there, and God spoke God’s Holy Name, and passed by before Moses, proclaiming, “I am God, the living God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin.” Moses bowed his head toward the earth, and worshipped and said, “If now I have found grace in thy sight, O God, let Thyself, I pray thee, go among us; for we are a stiffnecked people; and pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for thine inheritance.”

Responsorial Psalm is #102:16-19

Response: God, send out your Spirit and renew the face of the earth.

When God shall build up Zion, the prayer of the destitute shall be heard.

God will not despise their prayer.

Response: God, send out your Spirit and renew the face of the earth.

God hath looked down from the height of heaven and beheld the earth.

To hear the groaning of the prisoner; to loose those that are appointed to death.

Response: God, send out your Spirit and renew the face of the earth.

To declare the name of God in Zion, and God’s praise in Jerusalem;

When the people are gathered together, and the kingdoms, to serve God.

Response: God, send out your Spirit and renew the face of the earth.

Reading 2 is from I Corinthians 14:1-5

Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy. For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto the people, but unto God; for other people do not understand the words. Howbeit in the spirit the person is speaking mysteries. But the person that prophesieth speaketh unto other people to edification, and exhortation, and comfort. Those who speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth themselves; but those that prophesieth edifieth the church. I would that ye all spake with tongues but rather that ye prophesied; for greater are those that prophesieth than those that speaketh with tongues, except someone interpret, that the church may receive edifying.

Gospel is from Matthew 14:13-21

When Jesus heard of it, he departed thence by ship into a desert place apart. When the people had heard thereof, they followed him on foot out of the cities. And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick. And when it was evening, his disciples came to him, saying, “This is a desert place, and the time is now past; send the multitude away, that they may go into the villages, and buy themselves victuals.” But Jesus said unto them, “They need not depart; give ye them to eat.” And they say unto him, “We have here but five loaves, and two fishes.” Jesus said, “Bring them hither to me.” And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass, and took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake, and gave the loaves to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude. And they did all eat, and were filled. They took up of the fragments that remained twelve baskets full. They that had eaten were about five thousand men, beside women and children.

Femily: Body and Blood

“Jesus was moved to feed the multitude.” Jesus’ compassion also moved the multitude to have compassion on each other. Most women wouldn’t go out into a desert place without carrying some bread for their children. Often, if people gather together in a public place, they don’t trust each other enough to share their food. With Jesus in their midst, they became more sharing with one another, so that everyone had enough.

Jesus often spoke in metaphors. A metaphor is a word that stands for an idea that is hard to express. Jesus talks about bread and drink as his body and blood. He said, “This is my body; this is my blood.” These words are metaphors for Jesus so that Good Spirit can dwell inside you and prompt you to good actions. With Jesus near you and his message within your heart and mind, his good spirit can expanded outward to others. Jesus also saw himself or his spirit as a spring of water flowing into endless life to bring peace and justice to the world.

In the Exodus reading, Moses is also close to God. God tells him what to do. Does God or Abba or the Holy Spirit tell you what to do? Do you need a Good Spirit or Jesus next to you in order to give Good Spirit to others?

Then there is the matter of spiritual gifts and speaking in tongues. There are those people who speak in an accepted foreign language, and we know that they are speaking in French or German or Spanish, and if we do not know their language, we do not expect to understand them. However, there are times that we can understand them by the expressions on their faces. Then there are those who speak in unknown tongues. We may not know what they are saying, but, again, their faces reveal to us something of the glory of their thought. Then there are those who sing in a foreign language. We may not know the meaning of the words, but the music helps us to understand their thought.

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. With Jesus near you, there is no need to fear. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. Ask for special healings for those who lead nations or religious bodies.

Tenth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year A, 2011,2015,2019,etc.

Reading 1 Hosea 6:3-6

Then shall we know, if we follow on to know God. God’s going forth is prepared as the morning; and God shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth. O Ephraim, what shall I do unto thee? O Judah, what shall I do unto thee? For your goodness is as a morning cloud, and as the early dew it goeth away. Therefore have I hewed them by the prophets; I have slain them by the words of my mouth; and thy judgments are as the light that goeth forth. For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.

Responsorial Psalm is #50:1, 8, 12-15

Response: To the upright I will show the saving power of God.

The mighty God, even our God, hath spoken,

And called the earth from the rising of the sun unto the going down thereof.

Response: To the upright I will show the saving power of God.

Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God hath shined.

Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence.

Response: To the upright I will show the saving power of God.

A fire shall devour before God, and it shall be very tempestuous round about God.

God shall call to the heavens from above, and to the earth, that God may judge the people.

Response: To the upright I will show the saving power of God.

Gather my saints together unto me; those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice.

And the heavens shall declare his righteousness, for God is judge of Godself.

Response: To the upright I will show the saving power of God.

Reading 2 is from Romans 4:18-25

Abraham believed, hoping against hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, “So shall thy seed be.” Being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah’s womb. He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; being fully persuaded that, what God had promised, God was able also to perform. Therefore it was imputed to Abraham for righteousness. Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; but for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus Christ from the dead, this Jesus who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.

Gospel: Matthew 9:9-13

As Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom, and he saith unto him, “Follow me.” And Matthew arose, and followed Jesus. And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with Jesus and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, “Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners?” But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, “They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick. But go ye and learn what that meaneth, ‘I will have mercy, and not sacrifice;’ for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

Femily: Mercy or Sacrifice?

Jesus wants us to figure out something. What can the voice of God possibly mean when it thunders, “I prefer mercy to sacrifice”? This is a very important question, particularly when many of us consider Jesus a sacrifice (to God) for the sins of the world. Perhaps the life of Jesus that demonstrated mercy and love were more important than his death?

Again, Jesus said, “They who are whole don’t need a physician, but they who are sick.” Could we respond that most priests don’t need a spiritual healer, because they have the advantage of a spiritual education? However, that answer is proving not to be true for many of those who believe they are preaching Jesus’ message. Who are the spiritually sick among us? We might consider those who have been sent to prison by a judge as spiritually ill. However, we are coming to believe that our laws often do not reflect true justice, and that many innocent persons are entrapped and put in prison.

If we are to follow Jesus’ example of eating with publicans and sinners, and we can’t figure out who are the just and the unjust, we will have to be a message of healing for all the people with whom we come in contact. That might turn out to be a lot of people when we consider the possibilities of Internet.

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. Ask for special healings for those who lead nations or religious bodies.

Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year A, 2011,2015,2019,etc.

Reading 1 is from Exodus 19:2-6

The exiles departed from Rephidim, and were come to the desert of Sinai, and had pitched tents in the wilderness; and there Israel camped before the mount. And Moses went up unto God, and God called to Moses out of the mountain, saying, “Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel, ‘Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles’ wings, and brought you unto myself. Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people, for all the earth is mine; and ye shall be unto me a community of priests, and an holy nation.’ These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.”

Responsorial Psalm is #100:1, 2, 3, 5

Response: Make a joyful noise unto God, all ye lands.

Serve God with gladness;

Come before God’s presence with singing.

Response: Make a joyful noise unto God, all ye lands.

Know ye that God is the Everlasting: it is God that hath created us, and not we ourselves;

We are God’s people, and the sheep of God’s pasture.

Response: Make a joyful noise unto God, all ye lands.

Enter into God’s gates with thanksgiving, and into God’s courts with praise.

Be thankful unto God, and bless God’s name.

Response: Make a joyful noise unto God, all ye lands.

For God is good; God’s mercy is everlasting;

And God’s truth endureth to all generations.

Response: Make a joyful noise unto God, all ye lands.

Reading 2 is from Romans 5:6-11

When we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth God’s love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of Jesus, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by Jesus’ life. And not only so, but we also have joy in God through Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.

Gospel is Matthew 9:36—10:8

When Jesus saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion for them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd. Then saith he unto his disciples, “The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few. Pray ye therefore that the Master of the harvest will send forth labourers into the harvest.” And when Jesus had called unto him the twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease. Now the names of the twelve apostles are these:- The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; Philip, and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the publican; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus; Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him. These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, “Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not, but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. As ye go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils. Freely ye have received, freely give.”

Femily: Being Healers

O, wouldn’t we love to be a community of priests and priestesses and be considered a holy nation!? But what is the deal here? How does all the world get to be holy? Can’t you hear God shouting, “Come to me, my beautiful world! Come and be a holy world! Help me to keep my earth a holy place, where the sun shines gracefully, and the rains come in due season, and there are no floods, tsunamis, earthquakes, and disasters!”

God’s pasture is the earth, and God has given it to us. And what have we done with it? We have blown up Nagasaki and Hiroshima. We have thumbed our noses at God. We proclaim our greatness, and say, “See, God, just how powerful we are! You can make great cities, but we can destroy them. You can make a livable earth, but we can throw your gifts of water and air aside, thoughtlessly!”

What shall we do? The answer is in the gospel, “Preach, saying, ‘The Realm of God is near at hand.’ Heal the sick; cleanse the lepers, raise the dead.”

It is a little difficult to preach, but it is even more difficult to raise the dead. Perhaps we could work on those people who have undergone trauma, and are afraid to live. We all know someone who has undergone trauma.

The first disciples were requested to work within their own faith group of Israel. We of a later day might be wise to concentrate within our own faith group, and not rush out to convince terrorists of the error of their ways, when our ways are also so imperfect.

One action we can certainly take is to pray that there will be plenty of harvesters for the healing of those in trauma.

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. Ask for special healings for those who lead nations or religious bodies.

Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year A, 2011,2015,2019,etc.

Reading 1 is Jeremiah 20:10-13

For I heard the defaming of many, fear on every side. Report, say they, and we will report it. All my familiars watched for my halting, saying, “Peradventure he will be enticed, and we shall prevail against him, and we shall take our revenge on him.” But God is with me as a mighty terrible one. Therefore my persecutors shall stumble, and they shall not prevail. They shall be greatly ashamed; for they shall not prosper. Their everlasting confusion shall never be forgotten. But, O God of hosts, that triest the righteous, and seest the reins and the heart, let me see thy vengeance on them, for unto thee have I opened my cause. Sing unto God, praise God; for God hath delivered the soul of the poor from the hand of evildoers.

Responsorial Psalm is #69:8-10, 14, 17, 33-35

Response: We are God’s people; the sheep of God’s flock.

I am become a stranger unto my brethren, and an alien unto my mother’s children.

For the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up; and the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me.

Response: We are God’s people; the sheep of God’s flock.

When I wept, and chastened my soul with fasting, that was to my reproach.

I made sackcloth also my garment; and I became a proverb to them.

Response: We are God’s people; the sheep of God’s flock.

They that sit in the gate speak against me; and I was the song of the drunkards.

But as for me, my prayer is unto thee, O God, in an acceptable time: O God, in the multitude of thy mercy.

Response: We are God’s people; the sheep of God’s flock.

Deliver me out of the mire, and let me not sink: let me be delivered from them that hate me, out of the deep waters.

Let not the flood overflow me, neither let the deep swallow me up, and let not the pit shut her mouth upon me.

Response: We are God’s people; the sheep of God’s flock.

Hear me, O God; for thy lovingkindness is good: turn unto me according to the multitude of thy tender mercies.

Hide not thy face from thy servant; for I am in trouble: hear me speedily.

Response: We are God’s people; the sheep of God’s flock.

Reading 2 is from Romans 5:12-15

Wherefore, as by one person sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all people, for that all have sinned. For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam’s transgression, who is the figure of the person that was to come. But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one, many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one person Jesus, hath abounded unto many.

Gospel: Matthew 10:26-33

Jesus said to the disciples:- Fear them not therefore, for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known. What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light; and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops. And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul; but rather fear the one which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Abba. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows. Whosoever therefore shall confess me before people, them will I confess also before my Abba which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before people, them will I also deny before my Abba which is in heaven.

Femily: Do We Have Enemies?

Jeremiah had a lot of trouble with those people who saw him as a threat to their authority. Jesus tells us not to fear those who kill the body. Are we afraid of terrorists and their bombing plots? How can we cope with the violent people in our world? Perhaps we are all a little violent; and thus we should be able to figure out how to lessen violence as we find it in ourselves.

Do we like to have kind words spoken to us? Well then, why not speak kind words to others? Do we like good meals served to us? Then why not make sure that all the world has enough to eat?

Do we think the terrorists are crazy because they seem to like bombing others? Perhaps they don’t like being bombed. Perhaps we should stop making nuclear weapons. Perhaps the U.S. should stop sending drones over Afghanistan. Perhaps we could convince the young people in America that guns are used for killing people, and that there are better ways to treat people than destroying them.

Jesus tells us that we are more valuable than many sparrows. God loves the creation and the creatures that God made. Let’s take care of God’s creation and creatures. Then we won’t have to be afraid of what others or the natural world might do to us.

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. Ask for special healings for those who lead nations or religious bodies.

Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year A, 2011,2015,2019,etc.

Reading 1 is from II Kings 4:8-11, 14-16

It happened on a certain day, that Elisha passed to Shunem, where there was an important woman; and she constrained him to eat bread. And so it was, that as oft as he passed by, he turned in thither to eat bread. And she said unto her husband, “Behold now, I perceive that this is an holy man of God, which passeth by us continually. Let us make a little chamber, I pray thee, on the wall; and let us set for him there a bed, and a table, and a stool, and a candlestick; and it shall be, when he cometh to us, that he shall turn in thither.” And it happened on a certain day, that Elisha came thither, and he turned into the chamber, and lay there. And he said to Gehazi his servant, “Call this Shunammite.” And when Gehazi had called her, she stood before him. And Elisha said unto Gehazi, “Say now unto her, ‘Behold, thou hast been careful for us with all this care; what is to be done for thee? Wouldest thou be spoken for to the king, or to the captain of the host?’” And she answered, “I dwell among mine own people and need for nothing.” And Elisha said, “What then is to be done for her?” And Gehazi answered, “Verily she hath no child, and her husband is old.” And Elisha said, “Call her again.” And when Gehazi had called her, she stood in the door. And Elisha said, “About this season, according to the time of life, thou shalt embrace a son.” And she said, “Nay, my lord, thou man of God, do not lie unto thine handmaid.”

Responsorial Psalm is #89:2-3, 16-19

Response: Forever will I sing the goodness of God.

For I have said, Mercy shall be built up for ever:

Thy faithfulness shalt thou establish in the very heavens.

Response: Forever will I sing the goodness of God.

I have made a covenant with my chosen, I have sworn unto David my servant,

Thy seed will I establish for ever, and build up thy throne to all generations.

Response: Forever will I sing the goodness of God.

In thy name shall they rejoice all the day; and in thy righteousness shall they be exalted.

For thou art the glory of their strength: and in thy favour our horn shall be exalted.

Response: Forever will I sing the goodness of God.

For God is our defence; and the Holy One of Israel is our leader.

Then thou spakest in a vision to thy holy one, and saidst, I have exalted one chosen out of the people.

Response: Forever will I sing the goodness of God.

Reading 2 is from Romans 6:3-4, 8-11

Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death, that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of God, even so we also should walk in newness of life. Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him, knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. For in that he died, he died unto sin once, but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ.

Gospel is from Matthew 10:37-42

That person who loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and the person who loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And the one that taketh not their cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. The person that findeth their life shall lose it; and the person that loseth their life for my sake shall find it. The person that receiveth you receiveth me, and the person that receiveth me receiveth the One that sent me. The person that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward; and the person that receiveth a righteous person in the name of a righteous person shall receive a righteous person’s reward. And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, that one shall in no wise lose his reward.

Femily: Respecting God

In the reading from the Book of Kings, the notable lady is told that she will have a son, and the rest of the story is that she did have a son, and at some point the son got sick and stopped breathing. Then Elisha came and brought the son back to life.

Sometimes God or prophets or ordinary people make us very happy. But we creatures have our ups and downs. The notable lady was good to the prophet, and he returned her kindness. But then her son died! The woman must have felt that the prophet let her down! The prophet must have felt that God let him down!

The Gospel from Matthew assures us that if we keep the faith, we can come out on the other side of trauma and distress.

This gospel gives us some clues as to how we should relate to God and to prophets. We are not to place our parents or our children above our respect for God. We are to take up whatever burdens we might have and follow God’s directions. If we die while doing true service to God, we shall find true life. If you take care of prophets and give honest respect to righteous people, you will receive a heavenly reward from those you have respected. Those who are kind to children, especially those who care for starving African children, will surely be rewarded. If people keep working on it, the earth and its people will be transformed.

Do we place our children or our parents above our respect for God? When we copy immodest teen age styles, and don’t curtail the budgets of our children who imitate what their teen age heroines do and say, we are letting go of injunctions that might profit our souls.

When we put our parents in nursing homes when we could get nursing help for them and keep them in the home they are accustomed to, we are not thinking as kindly as we could.

When we want to keep our religious and social customs the way they are instead of following a course that might help the whole earth, then we are not respecting God.

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. Ask for special healings for those who lead nations or religious bodies.

Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year A, 2011,2015,2019,etc.

Reading 1 is from Zechariah 9:9-10

Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem. Behold, thy ruler cometh unto thee, who is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass. And God will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem, and the battle bow shall be cut off; and the ruler shall speak peace unto the heathen. The ruler’s dominion shall be from sea even to sea, and from the river even to the ends of the earth.

Responsorial Psalm is #145:1-2, 8-11, 13-14

Response: I will praise your name forever, my Creator and my God.

I will extol thee, my God and Ruler; and I will bless thy name for ever and ever.

Every day will I bless thee; and I will praise thy name for ever and ever.

Response: I will praise your name forever, my Creator and my God.

God is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy.

God is good to all, and God’s tender mercies are over all God’s works.

Response: I will praise your name forever, my Creator and my God.

All thy works shall praise thee, O God; and thy saints shall bless thee.

They shall speak of the glory of thy realm, and talk of thy power;

Response: I will praise your name forever, my Creator and my God.

To make known to the people God’s mighty acts, and the glorious majesty of God’s realm.

Thy realm is everlasting, and thy dominion endureth throughout all generations.

Response: I will praise your name forever, my Creator and my God.

Reading 2 is from Romans 8:9, 11-13

Ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if any person have not the Spirit of Christ, that person is none of Christ’s. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of God that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, God that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by God’s Spirit that dwelleth in you. Therefore, sisters and brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die; but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.

Gospel is from Matthew 11:25-30

At that time Jesus answered and said, “I thank thee, O Abba, Maker of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. Even so, Abba; for so it seemed good in thy sight. All things are delivered unto me of my Abba; and no person knoweth the child, but the parent; neither knoweth any person the Abba, save the Son, and those to whomsoever the Son will reveal the loving Abba. Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Femily: Help from the Holy Spirit

“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart; and ye shall find rest unto your souls.” Matthew gives us The Great Invitation, and who can refuse such a warm hearted proposition?

Is the just ruler of Jerusalem really on the way today to get the horses, chariots, and battle gear out of Jerusalem?— Not so you would notice it. The reading from Romans again assures us that if we have the Spirit of God or the Spirit of Christ, we will be enlivened to do all sorts of righteous actions.

How can God resist our prayers for peace between Israel and Palestine? In the Psalms the Jewish people sing of God’s mighty acts. We need new songs for today that tell how the God of all the Universe is egging us on to love one another, and to forget our questionable religious differences in easing each other’s burdens.

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. Ask for special healings for those who lead nations or religious bodies.

Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year A, 2011,2015,2019,etc.

Reading 1 is from Isaiah 55:10-11

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” saith our Creator, “for as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth. It shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.”

Responsorial Psalm is #65:10-13

Response: The seed that falls on good ground will yield a fruitful harvest.

Thou waterest the ridges thereof abundantly; thou settlest the furrows thereof.

Thou makest it soft with showers: thou blessest the springing thereof.

Response: The seed that falls on good ground will yield a fruitful harvest.

Thou crownest the year with thy goodness; and thy paths drop fatness.

They drop upon the pastures of the wilderness: and the little hills rejoice on every side.

Response: The seed that falls on good ground will yield a fruitful harvest.

The pastures are clothed with flocks; the valleys also are covered over with corn;

They shout for joy; they also sing.

Response: The seed that falls on good ground will yield a fruitful harvest.

Reading 2 is from Romans 8:18-26

I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For with earnest expectation, the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the children of God. For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of God who hath done it this way in hope, because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. For we are saved by hope; but hope that is seen is not hope, for what a person seeth, why doth they yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it. Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities; for we know not what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

Gospel is from Matthew 13:1-9

The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side. And great multitudes were gathered together unto him, so that he went into a ship, and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore. And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, “Behold, sowers went forth to sow; and when they sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up. Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth, and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth; and when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. And some seed fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them. But other seed fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

Femily: The Good Seed

The seed that fell into good ground must have had help from somewhere. I think the Good Seed was born into a family that had two loving parents. These parents were energetic and had jobs that enabled them to put food on the table. When their children were old enough, they went to grade school, and to highschool, and then to college.

Then we have the seed that fell among thorns. They lived in a drug infested neighborhood, where guns were traded. They began to sell drugs themselves. They had no job skills and became very discouraged.

Now actually all the seed was good; it was just where the seed fell that was the problem. How can we make all the environments of the earth into places where little seeds can grow into flourishing plants?

What do you think about this Spirit that the Bible readings keep talking about? Do you think that the same Spirit that had to do with Jesus rising from the dead, is willing to dwell somehow inside people? If you don’t believe it, why don’t you believe it?

Perhaps all the seed, no matter what the ground where they fall, need the help of the Holy Spirit in order to succeed. Holy Spirit, fall afresh on us. We all need your help.

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. Ask for special healings for those who lead nations or religious bodies.

Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year A, 2011,2015,2019,etc.

Reading 1 is from Wisdom 12:13, 16-19

For there is no god other than you who cares for everything, to whom you might have to prove that you never judged unjustly. Your justice has its source in strength; your sovereignty over all makes you lenient to all. You show your strength when your sovereign power is questioned, and you expose the insolence of those who question. But though you are master of might, you judge with clemency, and with much lenience do you govern us. You taught your people, by your example, that those who are just, must be kind. You gave your people good ground for hope that after sin you will grant repentance.

Responsorial Psalm is #86:5-6, 9-12, 15-16

Response: God, you are good and forgiving.

For thou, O God, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.

Give ear, O God, unto my prayer; and attend to the voice of my supplications.

Response: God, you are good and forgiving.

All nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee, O God; and shall glorify thy name.

For thou art great, and doest wondrous things; thou art God alone.

Response: God, you are good and forgiving.

Teach me thy way, O God; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name.

I will praise thee, my God, with all my heart: and I will glorify thy name for evermore.

Response: God, you are good and forgiving.

But thou, O God, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, long suffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth.

Turn unto me, and have mercy upon me; give thy strength unto thy servant, and save the child of thine handmaid.

Response: God, you are good and forgiving.

Reading 2 is from Romans 8:26-27

Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And the One that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, and maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

Gospel is from Matthew 11:25, 13:24-29, 13:36-43

At that time Jesus said, “I thank thee, O Abba, Creator of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a farmer which sowed good seed in her field. But while everyone slept, an enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and then went away. But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, “Madam, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field; from whence then hath it tares?” She said unto them, “An enemy hath done this.” The servants said unto her, “Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?” But she said, “Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, ‘Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them; but gather the wheat into my barn.’” … Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, “Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field.” Jesus answered and said unto them, “The one that soweth the good seed is the Son of humanity; the field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; the enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. The Son of humanity shall send forth angels, and they shall gather all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; and shall cast them into a furnace of fire. There shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the heavenly realm. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.”

Femily: Wheat, Apples, and Evil

Are we tares? When we look around us, we can see the wheat and the tares growing together.

I feel kind of sorry for the tares, because they have been sown by the devil. They may not have wanted to be tares at all. They surely wanted to be the best kind of plant available and useful to humankind. If they thought about it, they probably recognized that they were jealous of the wheat.

But the farmer recognizes that the tares have a part to play in the scheme of things. If they get pulled up, they will take the wheat with them.

Is that the explanation for evil? If we didn’t have evil, there might be no reason to be good.

Let’s look at the problem from a slightly different viewpoint. Consider worms in apples. Humankind has been working a long time to make a perfect apple, and that now that we have got the color just right, and taken out the worms, they are unedible.

My thought is that they shouldn’t have taken out the worms. I understand that the aborigines in Australia enjoy the taste of insects. John the Baptist ate locusts, straight from the stalk of grass. Some of humankind, can find crunching down a snake quite tasty. Think of all the nourishment in a juicy worm! God created wormy, buggy apples as a special favor to those on a diet deprived of protein.

While worms may be nutritious, they are not socially acceptable. We should look at the other part of the problem, that the spray that encourages that nice red color on apples, is much unhealthier than worms. We are told that it is better to eat green apples, because they most likely didn’t get a poisonous coating to make them red. However, red apples are socially acceptable.

Evil is also socially acceptable. It’s advertised on TV, and many teenagers are converted to its suggestions. Perhaps, like the tares, evil has a part to play in the transformation of humanity.

If we didn’t have evil to compare it with, how would we know what is good for us?

If we didn’t have bombs and landmines, how would we recognize that people get killed from another nation’s weaponry, fear, and ignorance? How would we ever figure out that kindness and mercy are the way to go?

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. Ask for special healings for those who lead nations or religious bodies.

Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year A, 2011,2015,2019,etc.

Reading 1 is from I Kings 3:5-12

In Gibeon God appeared to Solomon in a dream by night, and God said, “Ask, and I shall give it to thee.” And Solomon said, “Thou hast shewed unto thy servant David my father great mercy, according as he walked before thee in truth, and in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart; and thou hast kept for him this great kindness, that thou hast given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day. And now, my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father. I am but a little child; I know not how to go out or come in. And thy servant is in the midst of thy people which thou hast chosen, a great people, that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude. Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad; for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?” And the speech pleased God, that Solomon had asked this thing. God said unto him, “Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life; neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment; behold, I have done according to thy words. Lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee.”

Responsorial Psalm is #119:57, 72, 76-77, 127-130

Response: My God, I love your commands.

Thou art my portion, O God; I have said that I would keep thy words.

The law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver.

Response: My God, I love your commands.

Let, I pray thee, thy merciful kindness be for my comfort, according to thy word unto thy servant.

Let thy tender mercies come unto me, that I may live; for thy law is my delight.

Response: My God, I love your commands.

Therefore I love thy commandments above gold; yea, above fine gold.

Therefore I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right; and I hate every false way.

Response: My God, I love your commands.

Thy testimonies are wonderful. Therefore doth my soul keep them.

The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.

Response: My God, I love your commands.

Reading 2 is from Romans 8:28-30

We know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to God’s purpose. For whom God did foreknow, God also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of Jesus, that Jesus might be the firstborn among many children. Moreover whom God did predestinate, them God also called: and whom God called, them God also justified: and whom God justified, them God also glorified.

Gospel is from Matthew 13:44-52

Jesus said to the crowd, “The kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a person hath found, they hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that they hath, and buyeth that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant, seeking goodly pearls, who, when they have found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that they had, and bought it. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind; which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away. So shall it be at the end of the world. The angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, and shall cast the wicked into the furnace of fire. There shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.” Jesus saith unto them, “Have ye understood all these things?” They say unto him, “Yea, Rabbi.” Then said he unto them, “Therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a householder which bringeth forth out of their treasure things new and old.”

Femily: Treasures of the Realm of Heaven

If a person found a tool that would make for greater peace between individuals and nations, wouldn’t that be a treasure that would lead people and nations straight to the heavenly realm? Wouldn’t rulers and world leaders sell all their armaments and teach all their subjects how to use such a marvelous tool? Perhaps world leaders who deal in confrontational politics don’t really want peace. Perhaps they feel that peace threatens their position; many leaders thrive on war machines and oppression of the poor.

True peace cannot effectively be built with new policies and guarantees alone. True peace also requires the building of trust between peoples, even when history divides them.  Steps are needed to encourage greater dialogue, to deepen trust, to build confidence between the diverse peoples of the Middle East.

Greater dialogue among peoples is often not  the result when leaders of those peoples consult together. Fortunately, there is a certain resistance of people to admit that all wisdom resides in leadership.

For maximum effectiveness, positive dialogue should take place at the grass roots level, as well as among the upper echelons, (and every place in between).

This has been realized in Israel-Palestine since its conception, and is a prime consideration in its holy books. There have been attempts by many individuals to increase dialogue and understanding, but such groups frequently run into government suspicion. Besides political mistrust, there is also the problem of religious differences. One religious organization may feel threatened by what they see as a grab for power by another religious organization, in such a harmless and positive activity as groups intended to increase friendship among children and teen agers.

What might work in this normal everyday human situation of unease with the attitudes of one’s neighbor, is getting official agreement for a non-religious workshop run by volunteers, which would give experiential instruction in trust, non-violence, and the community building of diverse groups. I want to emphasize the importance of the facilitators of such a program being volunteers, because as soon as there is money or possible power-grabs involved, participants become suspicious of the facilitators’ motives. This can destroy trust. The participants must also be volunteers, looking for peaceful solutions to violent situations.

These observations come from my more than 30 years of experience as a volunteer in the New York State Department of Corrections. In the building of community through the many diverse layers of the prison complex, I have found that the non-sectarian Alternatives to Violence workshops are most effective. They are voluntarily participated in by men and women of all faiths,- Muslim, Buddhist, Jewish, Christian, Hindu, Atheist. Not only is this program given to inmates, instilling creative solutions to the problems of violence within the prison and out in the larger society, but inmates are trained to give this program to others, multiplying its effect. The workshops are not restricted to prison, but are also available in the outside community. Such workshops have been done in the Palestinian refugee camps.

Building positive communities is one way to spread the qualities of heaven onto the earth. What better way to spread the Good Spirit?

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. Ask for special healings for those who lead nations or religious bodies.

Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year A, 2011,2015,2019,etc.

Reading 1 is from Isaiah 55:1-3

Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and they that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? And your labour for that which satisfieth not? Hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. Incline your ear, and come unto me. Hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.

Responsorial Psalm is #145:8-9, 15-18

Response:The hand of God feeds us; God answers all our needs.

God is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy.

God is good to all, and God’s tender mercies are over all God’s works.

Response:The hand of God feeds us; God answers all our needs.

The eyes of all wait upon thee; and thou givest them their meat in due season.

Thou openest thine hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing.

Response:The hand of God feeds us; God answers all our needs.

God is righteous in all God’s ways, and holy in all God’s works.

God is nigh unto all them that call upon God, to all that call upon God in truth.

Response:The hand of God feeds us; God answers all our needs.

Reading 2 is from Romans 8:35-39

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, “For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.” Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through God who hath loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus.

Gospel is from Matthew 10:26-33

Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known. What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops. And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul; but rather fear them which are able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? And one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Abba knowing. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not therefore; ye are of more value than many sparrows. Whosoever therefore shall confess me before people, them will I confess also before my Abba which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before people, them will I also deny before my Abba which is in heaven.

Femily: Rewarding Political Poor Behavior

Jesus was on good terms with his Abba who resided in heaven. But this Abba also resided in Jesus, and this Abba also was aware of the little sparrows that fluttered about the temple. It is very reassuring to hear that a person is more valuable than many sparrows. Are our soldiers valuable? Are those in prison valuable? I hope so, but if they are truly valuable, couldn’t we help them more to be fulfilled people?

People have different motivations. Are soldiers to be rewarded for doing their job which often seems to be the killing of other people? The December 15, 2004 issue of Time records two contradictory events. We are asked to applaud when some people get medals for planning and carrying out the bombing, invading, and killing of innocent populations, described in War Figures Honored. Then we are expected to rejoice that another warlike leader, in an article called A Trial for Pinochet, will get his just deserts for harming those opposed to his regime in Chile. Approbation or disapproval seems to depend on who is in power. No wonder Timothy McVey got confused. First he got a medal for devastation to buildings and people in Iraq; then he got executed for being destructive to a government building and innocent civilians in this country. The ethical values displayed in these two newspaper articles seem rather inconsistent. What has happened to our belief in justice tempered with compassion and respect for all peoples? What will our political leaders do if the Iraqi people desire to go back to a more orderly society and re-elect some one like Sadam?

In a world where political leaders using flimsey information, can order soldiers into an area to kill women and children, it seems ridiculous to give life sentences for rape and murder. Many of the general population in the U.S. are there for raping and killing, yet they may be charged unjustly. 1% of the U.S. population is in prison. Each of these incarcerated has on the average, five family members or friends interested in his well-being. Considering this fact, then 5% of the U.S. population is affected by prison legislation. There are also the victims and their families who feel very serious, in both a positive and negative way, about the laws that affect the incarcerated. There are also about 25% of the U.S. citizens who don’t think much about prisons but who are concerned with public safety and just want to feel safe. There are also another 25% who want to have good laws that encourage public safety. There are another 25% whose jobs are tied in with public safety and law enforcement, inside prisons and on the public streets.

God takes care of the sparrows, and God takes care of soldiers and prisoners. God expects us to also recognize the problems of persons serving in the military, working in prisons, and being held in prisons and refugee camps.

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. Ask for special healings for those who lead nations or religious bodies.

Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year A, 2011,2015,2019,etc.

Reading 1 is from I Kings 19:9,11-13

Elijah came thither unto a cave, and lodged there; and, behold, the word of God came to him, and God said unto him, “What doest thou here, Elijah?” And Elijah said, “I have been very jealous for the God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.” And God said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before God. And, behold, God passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before God; but God was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake; but God was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire; but God was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice. And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, “What doest thou here, Elijah?”

Responsorial Psalm is #85:8-13

Response: Loving God, let us see your kindness and grant us your salvation.

I will hear what God will speak, for God will speak peace unto God’s people;

Surely God’s salvation is nigh them that fear God; that glory may dwell in our land.

Response: Loving God, let us see your kindness and grant us your salvation.

Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.

Truth shall spring out of the earth; and righteousness shall look down from heaven.

Response: Loving God, let us see your kindness and grant us your salvation.

Yea, our God shall give that which is good; and our land shall yield her increase.

Righteousness shall go before God; and shall set us in the way of God’s steps.

Response: Loving God, let us see your kindness and grant us your salvation.

Reading 2 is from Romans 9:1-5

I say the truth in Christ; I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Spirit, that I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart. For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my sisters and brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh, who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises; whose are the ancestors, and of whom as concerning the flesh, Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.

Gospel is from Matthew 14:22-33

Jesus told his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away. And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray. When the evening was come, he was there alone. But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves, for the wind was contrary. And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea. When the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, “It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear.” But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, “Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.” And Peter answered him and said, “Rabbi, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. And Jesus said, “Come.” And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, “Rabbi, save me.” And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, “O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?” And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased. Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, “Of a truth thou art the Son of God.”

Femily: Rescue of The Earth

We need someone to rescue us from the wind and the waves. It may frighten us a bit when the rescuer walks on the water. We need someone to inspire us and lead us away from our fears. Jesus is willing to be that inspiration. We need someone to point out that the earth is beautiful.

Have you seen the pictures of our earth taken from outer space? What a beautiful place to live! How can we bomb and harm such a beautiful planet? How can we let North Africa exist as piles of nonproductive sand? We could plant gardens in the desert so that all Africans will have enough to eat. Then, with enough food to share, they might stop killing each other. We can help the people of the Near East and the Mideast make their deserts bloom! We can build water pipe lines in the deserts of the world. We must stop concentrating on the strength of armies. Instead concentrate on the will of the people to restore and renew their cities and their land.

A quote from Martin Luther King, Jr. describes the negativity inherent in prehistoric thinking. “Violence as a way of achieving justice is both impractical and immoral. It is impractical because it is a descending spiral ending in destruction for all. The old law of an eye for an eye leaves everybody blind. It is immoral because it seeks to humiliate the opponent rather than win his understanding; it seeks to annihilate rather than to convert. Violence is immoral because it thrives on hatred rather than love. It destroys community and makes brotherhood impossible. It leaves society in monologue rather than dialogue. Violence ends by defeating itself. It creates bitterness in the survivors and brutality in the destroyers.”

Optimists in this time of warfare are to be commended for visualizing a world where all things work together for good. A belief in the evolution of the earth in a positive direction allows us to see beyond the prehistoric and violent confrontations of those interested in power plays and excessive wealth, to a society of restoration and fulfillment.

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. Ask for special healings for those who lead nations or religious bodies. Ask that all the nations would “beat their swords into plough shares and their spears into pruning hooks.”

Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year A, 2011,2015,2019,etc.

Reading 1 is from Isaiah 56:1, 6-7

Thus saith our God, “Keep ye judgment, and do justice: for my salvation is near to come, and my righteousness to be revealed. Also the sons of the stranger, that join themselves to our God, to serve, and to love the name of our God, to be God’s servants, every one that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of my covenant; even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar; for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people.

Responsorial Psalm is #67:1-2, 4-7

Response: Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the nations praise thee.

God be merciful unto us, and bless us; and may God’s face shine upon us;

That thy way may be known upon earth, thy saving health among all nations.

Response: Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the nations praise thee.

O let the nations be glad and sing for joy;

For thou shalt judge the people righteously, and govern the nations upon earth.

Response: Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the nations praise thee.

Then shall the earth yield her increase; and God, even our own God, shall bless us.

God shall bless us; and all the ends of the earth shall fear God.

Response: Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the nations praise thee.

Reading 2 is from Romans 11:13-15, 29-32

I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office. If by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh, and might save some of them. For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead? For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief. Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy. For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that God might have mercy upon all.

Gospel is from Matthew 15:21-28

Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon. And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, “Have mercy on me, Rabbi, thou son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil.” But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, “Send her away; for she crieth after us.” But he answered and said, “I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” Then came she and worshipped him, saying, “Rabbi, help me.” But he answered and said, “It is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it to dogs.” And she said, “You speak the truth, Rabbi; yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.” Then Jesus answered and said unto her, “O woman, great is thy faith: be it done unto thee even as thou wilt.” And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.

Femily: Women and Their Children

Women will do almost anything to help their children. The Canaanite woman had to put up with prejudicial statements by Jesus to prove that she and her daughter were deserving of human rights. What about the mothers of those children mutilated by cluster bombs?

The 34-day war between Israel and Hezbollah ended some time back, but up to a million unexploded cluster munitions that Israel dropped on Lebanon are the terrible remnant of that war. Lebanese civilians are still being killed or maimed by the bomblets (many U.S.-made). If left on the ground, a slight disturbance may cause bomblets to explode. Worse, many bomblets are brightly colored, with others attached to small parachutes, making them look like toys and enticing kids to pick them up. No international treaties outlaw the use of cluster bombs, although the Geneva Conventions contain laws to protect civilians during conflict.

According to the U.N. Mine Action Coordination Centre of South Lebanon, unexploded cluster munitions have killed 30 civilians and permanently wounded 230, since hostilities ended on August 14th, 2006. How can the U.S. have any part of this mutilation? God bless America and Israel and Palestine and Lebanon and Iraq. War is not patriotic. It is not good for anyone’s country or for anyone’s soul.

Will the Holy Spirit send us healers to help the children of the world?

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. Ask for special healings for those who lead nations or religious bodies.

Twentyfirst Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year A, 2011,2015,2019,etc.

Reading 1 is from Isaiah 22:15, 19-23

Thus saith the God of hosts, “Go, get thee unto this treasurer, even unto Shebna, which is over thy house, and say,

“God will surely violently turn and toss thee like a ball into a large country. There shalt thou die, and there the chariots of thy glory shall be the shame of thy master’s house. And I will drive thee from thy station, and from thy state shall God pull thee down. And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will call my servant Eliakim the son of Hilkiah. I will clothe him with thy robe, and strengthen him with thy girdle, and I will commit thy government into his hand. He shall be a ruler to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to the house of Judah. And the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder. What he shall open, none shall shut; and what he shall shut, none shall open. And I will fasten him as a nail in a sure place; and he shall be for a glorious ruler in his father’s house.

Responsorial Psalm is #138:1-3, 6, 8

Response: O God, your love is eternal; do not forsake the work of your hands.

I will praise thee with my whole heart; before all the rulers will I sing praise unto thee.

I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth.

Response: O God, your love is eternal; do not forsake the work of your hands.

In the day when I cried thou answeredst me, and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul.

All the kings of the earth shall praise thee, O God, when they hear the words of thy mouth.

Response: O God, your love is eternal; do not forsake the work of your hands.

Yea, they shall sing in the ways of God; for great is the glory of our God.

Though God be high, yet hath God respect unto the lowly, but the proud God knoweth afar off.

Response: O God, your love is eternal; do not forsake the work of your hands.

Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me. Thy right hand shall save me.

God will perfect that which concerneth me. Thy mercy, O God, endureth for ever.

Response: O God, your love is eternal; do not forsake the work of your hands.

Reading 2 is from Romans 11:33-36

O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are God’s judgments, and God’s ways are past finding out! For who hath known the mind of God? Or who hath been God’s counsellor? Or who hath first given to God, and it shall be recompensed unto them again? For of God, and through God, and to God, are all things; to whom be glory for ever. Amen.

Gospel is from Matthew 16:13-20

When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, “Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?” And they said, “Some say that thou art John the Baptist; some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets.” He saith unto them, “But whom say ye that I am?” Simon Peter answered and said, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus answered and said unto him, “Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona, for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Abba which is in heaven. And I say also unto thee, that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” Then Jesus charged his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ.

Femily: What Is An Avatar?

Who do you think I am? What do you think about Jesus? Who do you think you are? What do you think about immigrants? Are we all avatars? How would church groups answer all these questions?

When we make our laws, it is often advisable to see what church communities think about the problem.

Most Christian Churches would agree that Jesus is the long-awaited Messiah. A messiah is a messenger of God, and so is an avatar. We who think Jesus was a messenger to be imitated, ought to repeat his message of compassion. We can be welcoming to the immigrant, and supportive of our fellow humanbeings.

What do church groups think about immigration? Most churches have an attitude of welcoming the stranger.

Quote from Pope John Paul II in Ecclesia in America #65: “In its history, America has experienced many immigrations, as waves of men and women came to its various regions in the hope of a better future. The phenomenon continues even today, especially with many people and families from Latin American countries who have moved to the northern parts of the continent, to the point where in some cases they constitute a substantial part of the population. They often bring with them a cultural and religious heritage which is rich in Christian elements. The Church is well aware of the problems created by this situation and is committed to spare no effort in developing her own pastoral strategy among these immigrant people, in order to help them settle in their new land and to foster a welcoming attitude among the local population, in the belief that a mutual openness will bring enrichment to all.”

What do religious communities suggest we do about this immigration problem?

One position is given by Catholic Bishops as stated in their pastoral letter Strangers No Longer.

* An “earned” legalization for undocumented persons in the United States, regardless of country of origin;

* A worker program that allows foreign-born workers to enter and work in the United States safely and legally and that provides a living wage and adequate workplace protections;

* Reform of the immigration system to permit families to reunite in a timely and dignified manner;

* Restoration of due process protections lost in the 1996 immigration legislation;

* Policies addressing the root causes of migration, such as global economic inequities.

Let us not become hysterical with fear of the unknown and of other people, when we make our immigration laws. Let us make laws that are compassionate and just.

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. Ask for special healings for those who lead nations or religious bodies.

Twentysecond Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year A, 2011,2015,2019,etc.

Reading 1 is from Jeremiah 20:7-9

O God, thou hast deceived me, and I was deceived; thou art stronger than I, and hast prevailed. I am in derision daily, every one mocketh me. For since I spake, I cried out, I cried violence and spoil; because the word of God was made a reproach unto me, and a derision, daily. Then I said, “I will not make mention of God, nor speak any more in God’s name. But God’s word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay.”

Responsorial Psalm is #63:2-6, 8-9

Response: My soul is thirsting for you, my God and my Creator.

To see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary.

Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee.

Response: My soul is thirsting for you, my God and my Creator.

Thus will I bless thee while I live; I will lift up my hands in thy name.

My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips.

Response: My soul is thirsting for you, my God and my Creator.

When I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night watches.

Because thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice.

Response: My soul is thirsting for you, my God and my Creator.

My soul followeth hard after thee; thy right hand upholdeth me.

But those that seek my soul, to destroy it, shall go into the lower parts of the earth.

Response: My soul is thirsting for you, my God and my Creator.

Reading 2 is from Romans 12:1-2

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Gospel is from Matthew 16:21-27

From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day. Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, “Be it far from thee, Rabbi. This shall not be unto thee.” But Jesus turned, and said unto Peter, “Get thee behind me, Satan. Thou art an offence unto me, for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of humans.” Then said Jesus unto his disciples, “If any person will come after me, let them deny themselves, and take up their cross, and follow me. For whomsoever will save their life shall lose it, and whomsoever will lose their life for my sake shall find it. For what is a person profited, if they shall gain the whole world, and lose their own soul? Or what shall a person give in exchange for their soul? For the Son of man shall come in the glory of  Abba with the angels; and then every person shall be rewarded according to their works.”

Femily: The Value of our Souls

Jesus asks, “What shall a person give in exchange for their soul? A soul is a something that goes along with our body. We suspect it might have something to do with our brain, but those who do brain research have not yet found it. Some would say a soul has to do with ethical beliefs. Some think it has to do with conscience. Some believe that when you die, your soul might go to heaven, or to some place less desirable.

There is a belief that the Holy Spirit might come and take up residence in a person’s soul. When Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist, the Holy Spirit descended like a dove onto Jesus. No one can see a soul, but no one can see the wind either. We know there is wind, when the trees shake violently. We can also make decisions about whether someone has the Holy Spirit within.

Possibly Jeremiah in the first reading was describing the soul when he said, “God’s word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones.” Some people feel that the eyes are the windows to the soul, that you can look in someone’s eyes and make judgments about whether they are speaking the truth, or have God’s Spirit within.

We must think seriously about what a soul is. The Church tells us that God is a Trinity or Threesome; the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, the last being love between the Father and the Son. As a woman, I feel excluded from this love; they all seem to be male quantities. I would rather go with Jesus’ definition that God is Love. I can more easily think of the Good Spirit as Love that fills the Earth and the Universe, and comes into our hearts (or souls) if we fulfill certain requirements. Just what are these requirements?

The Spirit of Wisdom of the Old Testament was thought of as a female quantity. She was the embodiment of kknowledge, but she didn’t seem to have a body. She was Wisdom that was somehow accessible to people. How do we get love into our hearts?

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. Ask for special healings for those who lead nations or religious bodies.

Twentythird Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year A, Sept.4,2011;2015,2019,etc.

Reading 1 is from Ezekiel 33:7-9

So thou, O son of man, I have set thee aa a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word from my mouth, and warn them for me. When I say unto the wicked, “O wicked man, thou shalt surely die;” if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from their way, that wicked person shall die in their iniquity; but their blood will I require at thine hand. Nevertheless, if thou warn the wicked of their way to turn from it; if they do not turn from that way, they shall die in their iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul.

Responsorial Psalm is #95:1-2, 6-9

Response: If today you hear God’s voice, harden not your hearts.

O come, let us sing unto God. Let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.

Let us come before God’s presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto God with psalms.

Response: If today you hear God’s voice, harden not your hearts.

O come, let us worship and bow down. Let us kneel before God our Maker.

For God is our Creator. We are the people of God’s pasture, and the sheep of God’s hand.

Response: If today you hear God’s voice, harden not your hearts.

To day if ye will hear God’s voice, harden not your heart, as in the day of temptation in the wilderness;

When your ancestors tempted me, proved me, and saw my work.

Response: If today you hear God’s voice, harden not your hearts.

Reading 2 is from Romans 13:8-10

Owe no person any thing, but to love one another: for they that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. For this:- Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. Love worketh no ill to the neighbour; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

Gospel is from Matthew 18:15-20

Moreover if thy sister or brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell them their fault between thee and them alone: if they shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy sister or brother. But if they will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. And if they shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church; but if they neglect to hear the church, let them be unto thee as an heathen and a publican. Verily I say unto you, “Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” Again I say unto you, “That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Abba which is in heaven, for where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”

Femily: Ordinary Persons as Watchpersons

Ezekiel, (as son of man or servant of humankind or public servant or a person willing to help others), was asked by God to be a watchman for the Israeli people. Are you listening for God’s voice? Is God asking you to be a watchman (or a watchlady, or a watchperson) for those around you? Can you help the people you know to be more kind and understanding with each other?

In many towns across the world there are people who mediate disputes. Matthew is giving us ordinary people good advice as to how to get along with other ordinary people. Sometimes mediators even get to mediate disputes between governments. Such high level mediation can help nations to avoid wars with each other.

The ordinary Mediation Model for ordinary people has participants who sit around a table with one to three Complainants on one side, one to three Respondents on the side opposite the Complainants, and usually two mediators at the same end of the table. This model can be used in Community Dispute Resolution Centers for family mediations, divorce and child custody problems, landlord and tenant disputes, neighbor to neighbor complaints, victim and offender reconciliation, small claims, and some police referrals.

There are mediation centers in many of the counties of many states. Other countries have such organizations and train their citizens to help in the resolution of disputes.

Are you called to be a Watchperson?

What good work does God have in store for you to do?

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. Ask for special healings for those who lead nations or religious bodies.

Twentyfourth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year A, 2011,2015,2019,etc.

Reading 1 is from Sirach 23:1-7

O my God, Ruler and Governor of my whole life, leave me not to bad counseling, and let me not fall by them. Who will set scourges over my thoughts, and the discipline of wisdom over mine heart, that they spare me not for mine ignorance, and it pass not by my sins; lest mine ignorance increase, and my sins abound to my destruction, and I fall before mine adversaries, and mine enemy rejoice over me, whose hope is far from thy mercy. O my God, Ruler and Governor of my life, give me not a proud look, but turn away from thy servant always a haughty mind. Turn away from me vain hopes and concupiscence, and thou shalt hold them up that is always desirous to serve thee. Let not the greediness of the belly nor lust of the flesh take hold of me; and give not thy servant over into an impudent mind. Hear, O ye children, the discipline of the mouth; they that keepeth such discipline shall never be taken over in their speech.

Responsorial Psalm is #103:1-4, 9-12

Response: Our God is kind and merciful, slow to anger, and rich in compassion.

Bless our God, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless God’s holy name.

Bless our God, O my soul, and forget not all God’s benefits;

Response: Our God is kind and merciful, slow to anger, and rich in compassion.

Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;

Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;

Response: Our God is kind and merciful, slow to anger, and rich in compassion.

Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

Our God is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.

Response: Our God is kind and merciful, slow to anger, and rich in compassion.

For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.

As far as the east is from the west, so far hath God removed our transgressions from us.

Response: Our God is kind and merciful, slow to anger, and rich in compassion.

Reading 2 is from Romans 14:7-9

Not one of us liveth to themself, and no person dieth to themself. For whether we live, we live unto God; and whether we die, we die unto God. Whether we live therefore, or die, we belong to God. For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be with both the dead and the living.

Gospel is from Matthew 18:21-35

Then came Peter to him, and said, “Rabbi, how oft shall a person sin against me, and I forgive them? Till seven times?” Jesus saith unto him, “I say not unto thee, ‘Until seven times,’ but, until seventy times seven. Therefore is the realm of heaven likened unto a certain ruler, which would take account of the servants. And when the ruler had begun to reckon, a servant was brought unto them, which owed ten thousand talents. But forasmuch as the servant had nothing with which to pay, the ruler commanded for the servant to be sold, and also the family and all that they had, so that payment could be made. The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped the ruler, saying, “Governor, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. Then the ruler of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed them, and forgave them the debt. But the same servant went out, and found a fellowservant, which owed the first servant an hundred pence: and the servant laid hands on the fellowservant, and took him by the throat, saying, “Pay me that thou owest. And the fellowservant fell down at their feet, and besought them, saying, “Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.” And the first servant would not be patient: but went and cast the fellow servant into prison, till that one should pay the debt. So when the other servants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their ruler all that was done. Then the ruler, after calling back the first debtor, said to that one, “O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me. Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee?” And the ruler was wroth, and delivered that servant to the tormentors, till that one should pay the ruler all that was due. So likewise shall my heavenly Abba do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one their trespasses.

Femily: Holy Spirit as Go-Between?

Are some of us able to be with both the dead and the living?

From the reading of Roman’s 14, we understand that Christ died and rose and revived that the Christ Spirit might be with both the dead and the living. Paul, who wrote the letter to the Romans, had some ideas that were difficult to express. We can see some of these ideas come to fruition in the reign of the Emperor Constantine and the Council of Niceae. Those thoughtful people at that council came up with the idea of the Trinity. This is a good expression of how the Good Spirit might be a pass-through between the living and the dead. However, the women seem to be excluded from this pronouncement and from its formulation.

The Spirit, in the Jewish and earlier beliefs was a feminine quantity, sometimes referred to as Wisdom. If we let this notion of wisdom as being feminine, get out of hand, then mankind is distressed. They might get the implication that men cannot be wise, and cannot carry the Good Spirit in their hearts.

Thus we needed a masculine Christ to assure us that men can be filled with the Holy Spirit, and can guide all people of the earth into the way of righteousness.

We are also given Jesus’ mother Mary as being full of grace, to help us hold onto a belief that women, too, are capable of having Holy Spirit dwell within.

To conclude, and answer the question,—Are some of us able to be with both the dead and the living? My answer is that the Holy Spirit is a go-between between the dead and the living. Thus Jesus could say, “My Abba is in me, and I am with Abba.”

Can we all say, “Holy Spirit, dwell with us, and with those we love, both the living and the dead”?

The first reading from Sirach requests deliverance from bad counselors and poor advice. If what I have described in the femily sounds like bad advice to you, I am willing to admit my ignorance on the subject, because no person can fully understand the mind of God. But let us all think more about the Holy Spirit:— We all have intimations of the Spirit within; some of us call it conscience and dismiss it preemptorily. Let’s think about Good Spirit some more and ask God to flood the earth with Good Spirit.

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. Ask for special healings for those who lead nations or religious bodies.

Twentyfifth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year A, 2011,2015,2019,etc.

Reading 1 is from Isaiah 65:6-9

Behold, it is written before me, “I will not keep silence, but will pay them back, even as their sins deserve. Your iniquities, and the iniquities of your ancestors together,” saith God, “have blasphemed me by burning incense upon the mountains. Therefore will I measure their former work into their bosom.” Thus saith God, “As the new wine is found in the cluster, and one saith, ‘Destroy it not; for a blessing is in it.’ so will I do for my servants’ sakes, that I may not destroy them all. And I will bring forth a seed out of Jacob, and out of Judah an inheritor of my mountains; and mine elect shall inherit it, and my servants shall dwell there.”

Responsorial Psalm is #145:2-3, 8-9, 17-18

Response: God is near to all who truly call for help.

Every day will I bless thee; and I will praise thy name for ever and ever.

Great is our God, and greatly to be praised. God’s greatness is unsearchable.

Response: God is near to all who truly call for help.

One generation shall praise thy works to another, and shall declare thy mighty acts.

I will speak of the glorious honour of thy majesty, and of thy wondrous works.

Response: God is near to all who truly call for help.

They shall abundantly utter the memory of thy great goodness, and shall sing of thy righteousness.

Our God is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy.

Response: God is near to all who truly call for help.

Our God is good to all. God’s tender mercies are over all God’s works.

Our God is righteous in every way, and holy in every work.

Response: God is near to all who truly call for help.

Reading 2 is from Philippians 1:20-24, 27

According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour; yet what I shall choose I wot not. For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ, which is a far better choice. Nevertheless for me to abide in the flesh is more what you need, that your rejoicing may be more abundant in Jesus Christ for me by my coming to you again. Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ; that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel.

Gospel is from Matthew 20:1-16

The realm of heaven is like unto a person that is a property holder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into their vineyard. And when the person had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, they were sent into the vineyard. And the property holder went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, and said unto them, “Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you.” And they went their way. Again the property holder went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise. And about the eleventh hour there were other workers still standing idle, and the householder saith unto them, “Why stand ye here all the day idle?” They say in reply, “Because no one hath hired us.” The property owner saith unto them, “Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive.” So when even was come, the owner of the vineyard saith unto the steward, “Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first.” When they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they each received a penny. But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise each received a penny. And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house, saying, “These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day.” But the owner answered one of them, and said, “Friend, I do thee no wrong; didst not thou agree with me for a penny? Take that is thine, and go thy way. I will give unto this last, even as unto thee. Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good?” So the last shall be first, and the first last; for many be called, but few chosen.

Femily: Employability

When God calls us to work for the Realm of Truth and Justice, God does not pay us wages according to how we spent our whole life. From the parable in the Gospel of Matthew, we are to understand that it doesn’t matter how we passed the long hot day. If we arrive at the conclusion in our last hours that we of the Eleventh Hour should serve God with truth and justice, then we of the Eleventh Hour will get the same reward as those who worked for God’s agenda all day long.

Does this seem just to you?

Looking at the property owner from God’s viewpoint, consider other factors that may be involved. Those who have borne the burden and heat of the day may be the ones who go along with presentday social customs and are content to behave themselves from force of habit. They are good people, but they have not had to wrestle with the weightier problems of prejudice and evil.

Those of the eleventh hour have suffered from joblessness and lack of good leaders or employers. At some point near the end of their adventures, they were given an opportunity to serve, and they made the most of that opportunity.

Could we make a further comparison of the Eleventh Hour people with the employability of those incarcerated in our prisons?

A worldwide problem that contributes to violence is a lack of job opportunities. Many of the unemployed or underemployed across the world are inner city youth, persons in prison, and women. Many people migrate to find jobs with which they can support themselves and their families. Creating plentiful jobs would do much to help solve the immigration problem, the prison problem, and the sex slave problem.

What are the causes of unemployment? Stalled economic development; disabilities such as dyslexia, that hamper learning; lack of good education in inner city schools; inability to pay for college. There is the enticement of the military and weaponry which often is a dead end. Youth need mentors to inspire them, but those who might be mentors for inner city youth are often jobless themselves and end up in prison. Jobless women with children to support resort to prostitution to make ends meet.

What are steps that could be taken to create jobs? I would like to set down some ideas that I have thought about. Fear mongering and making stricter laws aimed against immigrants and sex offenders does not help those people to earn a livelihood, but drives them underground.

What kind of jobs are needed? We need more health care professionals. We need social workers who are trained to care for the mentally ill and who can monitor sex offenders. We need more affordable housing, especially for those returning from prison to the outside communities. We need people who can build inexpensive, yet durable, houses. We need a different kind of energy other than oil, such as geo-thermal, wind, solar, or water power. We need builders to renew infrastructure such as road, bridges, and inner city apartments (as is being done in Harlem). With foreclosures and threatened banking and credit disasters, we need to rethink our financial operations. In Bangladesh an infusion of microfinance into small business economies led to greater respect for the abilities of women.

Where is a good place to make a trial test on employability? We have a captive population in our prisons. The combination of excessively long sentences and a tardy parole release rate are costing us taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars. (From Unlocking America, JFA Institute 11/07), “For the same crimes, U.S. prisoners receive sentences twice as long as English prisoners, … five times as long as Swedish prisoners … yet these countries’ rates of violent crime are lower than ours.” If we target the older prisoners who are much less likely to recidivate, train them and educate them in positive reentry programs, and release them into a semi-supportive step-down community, with assurance of jobs and/or micro-financing, New York State could perhaps establish a model community system that could be followed to rehabilitate those in Iraq and even in the Sudan. The N.Y. State POPS Bill might be a vehicle to carry these improvements. Positive accompaniments to this experiment might be the upgrading of prison and parole officers, community building in the step-down communities, the development of mentors, social workers, and health care professionals to aid in inner city communities, and a revitalized economic development.

What can be done for the youth in the city of Yonkers? Pair them up with mentors, such as the persons coming out of prison from the theology course at SingSing. Have them build playgrounds and refurbish schools. Build community through singing groups, marching bands, and orchestras. Have courses in how to do plumbing. Have land available for gardening.

The prisoners may have frittered away their long hot summers, but they have repented and are ready to work hard at their Eleventh Hour assignments.

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. Ask for special healings for those who lead nations or religious bodies.

Twentysixth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year A, 2011,2015,2019,etc.

Reading 1 is from Ezekiel 18:25-28

Ye say:— “The way of God is not equal.” Hear now, O house of Israel, God speaks:—“Is not my way equal? Are not your ways unequal? When a righteous man turneth away from righteousness, and committeth iniquities, and dieth in them; for the iniquity that hath been done, that one shall die. Again, when the wicked man turneth away from the wickedness that hath been committed, and doeth that which is lawful and right, that one’s soul shall live. Because that one considereth, and turneth away from all those transgressions that were committed, that one shall surely live. That one shall not die.”

Responsorial Psalm is #125:4-9

Response: Remember your mercies, O Loving God.

Shew me thy ways, O God; teach me thy paths.

Lead me in thy truth, and teach me, for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day.

Response: Remember your mercies, O Loving God.

Remember, O God, thy tender mercies and thy lovingkindnesses; for they have been ever of old.

Remember not the transgressions of my youth. According to thy mercy, remember thou me for thy goodness’ sake.

Response: Remember your mercies, O Loving God.

Good and upright is our God. Therefore will God teach sinners in the way.

The meek will God guide in judgment, and the meek will God teach godly ways.

Response: Remember your mercies, O Loving God.

Reading 2 is from Philippians 2:1-11

If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, fulfil ye my joy, by being likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every person on their own things, but every person also on the things of others. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God, but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of a humanbeing. And being found fashioned as a human, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name; that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus is the Christ, to the glory of God our Maker.

Gospel is from Matthew 21:28-32

But what think ye? A certain woman had two daughters; and she came to the first, and said, “Daughter, go work to day in my vineyard.” She answered and said, “I will not,” but afterward she repented, and went. And the woman came to the second daughter, and said likewise. And she answered and said, “I go, mother,” and went not. Whether of the twain did the will of their mother? They say unto him, “The first.” Jesus saith unto them, “Verily I say unto you, that the publicans and the harlots go into the heavenly realm before you. For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not; but the publicans and the harlots believed him; and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye might believe him.”

Femily: Offending God by Not Doing God’s Will

Do we follow our consciences by speaking out for the human rights of immigrants under the U.S. government? Do we follow our consciences in regard to the School of the Americas? Do we follow our consciences in regard to women priests?

Do we who think of ourselves as church goers and therefore doers of God’s will, relate to the second daughter who said, “I go”? But then she didn’t go. Do we affirm, “Loving God, we are able.” But when it comes right down to it, we are scared to feed the hungry and clothe the naked. We are afraid to go public with our opinions about Israel/Palestine. We don’t know what to do about getting our troops out of Afghanistan.

As for getting into religious arguments concerning Christians or Muslims, we don’t want to offend either group. Not to offend is a good reason to hold back an opinion on church or government practices. Suppose those practices are unjust or prejudiced against societal or cultural groups? If a person thinks certain practices are offensive to women, should that person keep quiet so as not to upset the President or governors or the Pope or the Cardinals?

Let’s avoid graver issues and talk about White Robes and Red Hats. How did cardinals get to wear their strange costumes?

The Pope has a white cassock while the cardinals’ robes have shades of red. Why do the cardinals wear red hats?

At a recent counting there were 103 active cardinals on the rosters of the Roman Catholic Church. Pope Paul VI made an arrangement that says there can be 120. Responsible Catholics most surely want to know what the head of our church, Jesus Christ, thinks about cardinals. In his time among us as a human being, Jesus had confrontations with the priestly leaders of the Hebrew people. He remarked that everything they did was to attract attention, like emphasizing their prayer amulets, enjoying the place of honor at banquets and synagogues, or being greeted by honorary names (Matthew 23:5-7).

Today there is a new generation of priests who are faced with the same old problems:- there are seats of honor to be given out at the banquet table, and honorary titles. Candidates are being speculated upon. Will the Archbishops of Philadelphia, St. Louis, or Detroit get to be appointed cardinals, as were their predecessors? Some of these appointments seem to be establishing traditions. Will the church continue in its way of imitating the Pharisaical patriarchal community that Jesus railed against? Jesus, looking down on us from his viewpoint at the right hand of God, must have some thoughts about cardinals.

Cardinals presumably exist at the instigation of the Holy Spirit. How did they come into being? Just what is a cardinal anyway? The word cardinal comes from cardo meaning point or pivot around which everything turns. In the second century of church history St. Ignatius (himself the Bishop of Antioch) spoke of the bishop of a church as the pivot on which the church turned. In the early church women leaders of congregations could easily be considered as pivotal to their flock. Both the name Cardinalis and Papa were applied freely to pastors and church officers generally, but as one diocese became more powerful and controlling, the use of titles became restricted. To keep power in Rome, cardinals came to be associated with the sees around the Vatican. They would gather to elect a new Pope from their number and thus kept the office of Pope as a Roman possession. Gradually, use was made of these honorary titles in order to reward far-flung Catholics and to tie them more closely to Roman opinion. It was not necessary to be a priest to gain this honor. John de Medici was designated a cardinal at the age of 14. A prince of the House of Bourbon became the Cardinal and Archbishop of Toledo at the tender age of 8 in the relatively recent year of 1740.

In order to really understand the office of cardinal, we must probe further back into history than the time of Jesus Christ, back to the pluralistic religion of Ancient Rome, when Rome was ruled, not by emperors, but by Etruscan kings. The king had a group of advisors called the Duoviri made up of priests (who offered sacrifices) and of augurs (who foretold the future). Both sacrificers and foretellers are very necessary in order for a king to guide his people properly; and in early Israel we find King David making use of both priests and prophets. In Rome the Duoviri became quite powerful, and overthrew the king. The chief priest became known as the pontifex maximus and moved into the king’s palace. The rest of the crew became known as his consilium. Variations of this form of rule continued in Rome, with the power sometimes in the hands of the religious specialists, sometimes in the hands of an emperor. As the different Roman gods had different functions and festivals, their support groups developed along the same model as the government of Rome. Consequently, the priest-sacrificers of Mars were known as Flamens and would perform elaborate rituals and dances on the God Mars’ special feast day. Also associated with the God Mars were the prominent ones, or Sali, presumably the men who were versed in ethics. In Israel the same societal mix occurred with the Council of the Seventy and the priest functionaries.

The Roman Senate became the consulting group for the emperor. Senators were allowed to wear a strip of purple on their garment as a notification of their dignity. A common person in Rome who had political ambitions would be spoken of as aspiring ‘to the purple’. In these later times we hear of ordinary priests who work hard, as similarly aspiring to the purple of the church senatorial group or cardinalate. If this honor lies in the color purple, why does a cardinal have a scarlet cap? Are we somehow being confused with the magenta shaded colors of lesser church dignitaries?

Why, indeed, a cap at all? The custom of prayer caps is another common thread that runs through religious observances. This custom may have started from as simple a thing as a balding sun-god-worshipper trying to prevent his head from getting sun-burned. Many men today proclaim their allegiance to a baseball team by wearing a cap with the proper insignia. This is often with the secondary agenda of covering up a receding hairline. There is nothing wrong with being bald; in fact, it gives your ordinary man an ennobling look. Yet some men are sensitive, and if you grew bald in ancient Rome and were a religious person, you could cover up this nakedness with a prayer cap. The color of the High Priest of Jupiter was white, signifying purity and light, and he traditionally wore all white clothes, and a white cap. His hench-men or hinge-men or pivotal priests who offered the animal sacrifices, could not wear white for the simple reason that animal sacrifice was a bloody business, and white clothing would be a bloody mess. A good cover-up color for animal sacrifice is red. When we call ourselves Roman Catholic, we are really announcing where our costume colors come from.

However, the Catholic Church might have remained more humble and less colorful, if it weren’t for the sacking of Rome by the barbarians. In meditating on some of the predicaments that societies get themselves into, and what some leaders are called upon to do, we may find ourselves becoming more sympathetic to those leaders, and their decisions. With the Vandals on the threshhold of the city, and the emperor leaving for safer parts, the city of Rome entered a period of social crisis. Who was able to fill the power vacuum and save the people from annihilation? The Pope of the time, after what must have been deep soul searching, stood up for the citizens of Rome, and gained respect from the invaders. In order to do this effectively, he and his counselors had to assume the power symbols of the fled aristocracy. Those symbols are with us today.

John Paul II may give this coveted red hat to as many as 17 of those in his employ. His hands are slightly restricted by a declaration of Pope John XXIII that cardinals must be bishops. However, it is easy to appoint a deserving person to be a bishop and then elevate him or her still further. Actually, with the power vested in a Pope, it would be relatively easy to appoint a deserving woman (such as Joan Chittister) to the priesthood and promote her rapidly up through the ranks as monsignor, bishop, archbishop, to cardinal. Just imagine Sister Joan in a red hat! This wise woman would certainly shun such flamboyant show, but as a dedicated servant of God she might accept the costume, in order to confirm the equality of women and men in the Catholic Church.

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. Ask for special healings for those who lead nations or religious bodies.

Twentyseventh Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year A, 2011,2015,2019,etc.

Reading 1 is from Isaiah 5:1-7

Now will I sing to my well-beloved a song of my beloved touching their vineyard. My well-beloved hath a vineyard on a very fruitful hill; and they fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a winepress therein. My beloved looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes. And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem, and people of Judah, judge, I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard. What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it? Wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, it brought forth wild grapes? And now listen:- I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard. I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up; and break down the wall thereof; and it shall be trodden down. I will lay it waste. It shall not be pruned, nor digged; but there shall come up briers and thorns. I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it. For the vineyard of the God of Hosts is the House of Israel, and the people of Judah are God’s precious plant. God looked for judgment, but behold oppression; for righteousness, but behold a cry.

Responsorial Psalm is #80:9, 12-16, 19-20

Response: The vineyard of our God is the house of Israel.

Thou hast brought a vine out of Egypt: thou hast cast out the heathen, and planted it.

Thou preparedst room before it, and didst cause it to take deep root, and it filled the land.

Response: The vineyard of our God is the house of Israel.

Why hast thou then broken down her hedges, so that all they which pass by the way do pluck her?

The boar out of the wood doth waste it, and the wild beast of the field doth devour it.

Response: The vineyard of our God is the house of Israel.

Return, we beseech thee, O God of hosts: look down from heaven, and behold, and visit this vine;

And the vineyard which thy right hand hath planted, and the branch that thou madest strong for thyself.

Response: The vineyard of our God is the house of Israel.

It is burned with fire, it is cut down: they perish at the rebuke of thy countenance.

Turn us again, O God of hosts, cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved.

Response: The vineyard of our God is the house of Israel.

Reading 2 is from Philippians 4:6-9

Be worried about nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do; and the God of peace shall be with you.

Gospel is from Matthew 21:33-43

Hear another parable:- There was a certain landowner, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to farmers, and went into a far country. When the time of the fruit drew near, the owner sent servants to the farmers, that they might receive the fruits of it. And the farmers took the servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another. Again, the owner sent other servants more than the first; and they did unto them likewise. But last of all the owner sent unto them their beloved son, saying, “They will surely reverence my son.” But when the farmers saw the son, they said among themselves, “This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance.” And they caught the son, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him. When the owner therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will the owner do unto the farmers?” They say unto Jesus, “The owner will miserably destroy those wicked people, and will let out the vineyard unto other farmers, which shall give back to the owner the fruit in due season.” Jesus saith unto them, “Did ye never read in the scriptures, ‘The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is God’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?’ Therefore say I unto you, ‘The Spiritual Realm of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.’”

Femily: Sharing the Vineyard

There are good things that we can think about in order to have the Spiritual Realm of God closer to our hearts. They are listed by Paul as “whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” What would our world be like if all the people thought virtuous thoughts? If that were the case, God would have a vineyard to be proud of! But to be practical, we must admit that there are always people who are willing to kill the heir to the estate so that they themselves might be the inheritors.

For instance, when we are jealous of someone else’s good fortune, we often spoil their triumph by saying nasty putdowns about them. Politicians call each other names or spread rumors that amount to a political death for their victim. Teen age girls can be downright catty. Why are we so unkind to our fellow humanbeings? Is there something in our makeup that brings out the violence in us? Has God’s gift of evolution brought us to this sad state?

Yes, we are related to the dinosaur. Humans and dinosaurs have some of the same genetic structure. Yes, Palestinians and Hebrews are both descended from the same ancient father Abraham and his sister/wife Sarah. The National Geographic in its Genographic Project on peoples of the earth, is trying to prove that we are all products of the same evolutionary process. It should be possible for us all to share the earth and have reasonable relationships with one another. We don’t have to be the one supreme owner of the vineyard. We can learn how to share. Sharing prevents war; it is good for people to share.

Why are we all killing each other? The many cultural children of Abraham and Sarah have Holy Books with ethical teachings that relate how to get along on the earth. If you tromp violently into a land killing its people, you will not be welcome. If you are kind to the widow and the orphan, you will dwell in peace. If you forgive others’ misdeeds, your own misdeeds will be forgiven.

The Jewish people have had many ups and downs in their possession of the vineyard called Israel. Bloody turmoil has resulted many times from power plays by kings and tribesmen. King David was an example of how to unite disparite groups. In his coming to power, he became friendly with those who were disastisfied with the reign of his predecessor Saul. He was sympathetic to their complaints. They made a formal pact at Hebron. I Chronicles 11 names these champions. David got these tribespeople to agree on boundaries acceptable to all. They affirmed that they were one community, daughters and sons of the land of Jacob, descended from Abraham, and that they would help each other. This varied grouping stayed together under David, and also under Solomon (who was a bit more commercial and worked the people harder), but this unity disintegrated at Solomon’s death.

David had empathy and listened to the complaints of the people. He gathered religious people together and brought back the Ark of the Covenant, a major religious symbol, to the city of Jerusalem. How do the leaders of today resemble David? Not too well. They do not have empathy. They do not listen to the complaints of the people. They bomb the populace. They do not show respect for the religious buildings or symbols of others. They do not use the Restorative Justice techniques of mediation, consultation, understanding, and forgiveness.

Mediation may be able to help solve problems in Israel/Palestine if groups could be organized that would be useful in gathering vital information. To make a start at solving the problems in the Near East, one could get wise mediators from South Africa and India. One could request tribal leaders from all major divisions and cultures (Fatah, Hezbollah, Shi’ites, Sunnis). One could ask for proposals about land rights, oil rights, water rights, environmental concerns, and rebuilding projects to help refugees.

Women also need to be listened to. Most women abhor war and want peace for their children. However, if we really want peace in the land of Israel, we are to encourage everyone to think on “whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” To encourage war and violence profits no one.

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. Ask for special healings for those who lead nations or religious bodies.

Twentyeighth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year A, 2011,2015,2019,etc.

Reading 1 is from Isaiah 25:6-10

On this mountain God All-powerful shall make for all nations a feast of finest food, of choice wines, and of the best cuts of meat. God will destroy on this mountain the face of sadness cast over all people, and the veil that is spread over all nations. God will swallow up death in victory; and God will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of God’s people shall God take away from off all the earth; for God hath spoken it. It shall be said in that day, “Lo, this is our God; we have waited for God, and God will save us. This is God All-powerful; we have waited for God, we will be glad and rejoice in God’s salvation.” For on this mountain shall the hand of God rest, and Moab shall be trodden down, even as straw is trodden down for the dunghill.

Responsorial Psalm is #50:16-23

Response: To the upright I will show the saving power of God.

Unto the wicked God saith, “What right hast thou to declare my statutes;

Or that thou shouldest take my covenant in thy mouth?

Response: To the upright I will show the saving power of God.

Seeing thou hatest instruction, and casteth my words behind thee.

When thou sawest a thief, then thou consentedst with him, and hast been partaker with adulterers.

Response: To the upright I will show the saving power of God.

Thou givest thy mouth to evil, and thy tongue frameth deceit.

Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother; thou slanderest thine own mother’s son.

Response: To the upright I will show the saving power of God.

These things hast thou done, and I kept silence;

But I will reprove thee, and set them in order before thine eyes.

Response: To the upright I will show the saving power of God.

Now reconsider this, lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver.

Whoso offereth praise, glorifieth me; and to those that converse aright will I shew salvation.

Response: To the upright I will show the saving power of God.

Reading 2 is from Philippians 4:12-20

I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. Notwithstanding ye have well done, that ye did communicate with my affliction. Now ye Philippians know also, that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving, but ye only. For even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my necessity. Not because I desire a gift; but I desire fruit that may abound to your account. But I have all, and abound. I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, well-pleasing to God. But my God shall supply all your need by Christ Jesus according to the riches in glory. Now unto our God and Abba be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Gospel is from Matthew 22:1-14

Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said, “The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain ruler, which made a marriage for his son, and sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden, to come to the wedding; and the guests would not come. Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, ‘Behold, I have prepared my dinner. My oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready; come unto the marriage.’ But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to their farm, another to their merchandise; and the remnant took the ruler’s servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them. But when the ruler heard thereof, he was wroth. He sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. Then saith he to his servants, ‘The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy. Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage.’ So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good, and the wedding was furnished with guests. And when the ruler came in to see the guests, he saw there a person which had not on a wedding garment. He saith unto the person, ‘Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And the guest was speechless. Then said the ruler to the servants, ‘Bind that person hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ For many are called, but few are chosen.”

Femily: On Feasts

Who doesn’t like a good party! Just imagine what a feast on the top of the Mountain of God would be like.

We are promised that Our Creator will prepare for us a feast upon that mountain. There will be good food to fill our stomachs. Most likely there will be good thoughts to fill our souls. I just know that kindness and love will abound, and that all my friends will be there. Who else will be invited? Will God invite the refuse from the highways and byways? What about my enemies?

Well, now that I think about it, maybe I’m not going to be invited. Maybe this party is for my enemies. We earthlings don’t all believe the same way. Maybe the party is just for the male priesthood, those men who have dedicated their lives to serving God through being celibate. Maybe the feast is just for bishops in long colorful robes.

If I do get invited, what shall I wear? I do not have long colorful robes. Where could I get fancy garments to wear to such an important function?

What would I eat? I’m a vegetarian, and I don’t drink wine. Maybe the feast consists of spiritual food.

What are we celebrating?

The passage in Isaiah talks about Moab. Perhaps we are celebrating the downfall of Moab. The Moabites were a group who also wanted to live in Israel, like the Palestinians today. Moab is the historical name for a mountainous strip of land in modern-day Jordan running along the eastern shore of the Dead Sea. In ancient times, it was home to the kingdom of the Moabites, a people often in conflict with their Israelite neighbors to the west. The Moabites were a historical people, whose existence is attested to by numerous archeological findings, most notably the Mesha Stele, which describes the Moabite victory over an unnamed son of King Omri of Israel. Their capital was Dibon, located next to the modern Jordanian town of Dhiban.

Why couldn’t the Moabites come to Isaiah’s and God’s party too?

Wouldn’t it be worth a worldwide party today if Israel and Palestine came to a peaceful settlement! We would hold parties on all the mountains of the world.

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. Ask for special healings for those who lead nations or religious bodies.

Twentyninth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year A, 2011,2015,2019,etc.

Reading 1 is from Isaiah 45:1-6

Thus saith God to the anointed one, to Cyrus, whose right hand God has holden, to subdue nations; and to loose the loins of kings, to open before Cyrus the two leaved gates; and the gates shall not be shut, “I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight. I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron, and I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayest know that I, the God who call thee by thy name, am the God of Israel. For Jacob my servant’s sake, and Israel mine elect, I have even called thee by thy name. I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known me. I am God, and there is none else, there is no God beside me. I girded thee, though thou hast not known me that they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside me. I am God, and there is no other.

Responsorial Psalm is #96:1, 3-5, 7-10

Response: Give to God glory and honor.

O sing unto God a new song: sing unto God, all the earth.

Declare God’s glory among the heathen, God’s wonders among all people.

Response: Give to God glory and honor.

For God is great, and greatly to be praised; God is to be feared above all gods.

For all the gods of the nations are idols, but God our Maker made the heavens.

Response: Give to God glory and honor.

Give unto God, O ye kindreds of the people, give unto God glory and strength.

Give unto God the glory due unto God’s name. Bring an offering, and come into God’s courts.

Response: Give to God glory and honor.

O worship God in the beauty of holiness. Fear before God, all the earth.

Say among the heathen that God reigneth. The world also shall be established that it shall not be moved.

Response: Give to God glory and honor.

Reading 2 is from I Thessalonians 1:1-5

Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians which believes in God and in Jesus the Christ:- Grace be unto you, and peace, from God and Jesus the Christ. We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers; remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in Jesus Christ, in the sight of God; knowing, beloved people, your election of God. For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of people we were among you for your sake.

Gospel is from Matthew 22:15-21

Then the Pharisees took counsel as to how they might entangle Jesus in his talk. And they sent out unto him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, “Rabbi, we know that thou art true, and teachest the way of God in truth, neither carest thou for any person, for thou regardest not the outer appearance of any person. Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not?” But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, “Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites? Shew me the tribute money.” And they brought unto him a penny. And Jesus saith unto them, “Whose is this image and superscription?” They say unto him, “Caesar’s.” Then saith Jesus unto them, “Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s.”

Femily: Politics

In the first reading we learn that Cyrus is foreordained to be a ruler that God approves of. He is not a Jew, but Cyrus is doing good things for the Jewish people.

In the second reading we are told that the Thessalonians are foreordained to listen to Paul’s preaching, and give glory to God.

And then in the Gospel we have the Pharisees who want to trip Jesus up in his talk. They ask, “Can a good Jew give tribute to Caesar?”

Jesus has a good answer, “Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s.”

This is all good political dialogue. Can we follow a king or president who is not of our political party, if he is doing good things for people? Do we believe that some people are forordained to do the right thing, and have a positive influence on world events? Can some groups do no wrong because they are the elect of God? If we don’t like someone’s politics, can we withhold our tax money?

We have people in this country who believe they should have informed consciences about church and government policies. There are those who feel that South American soldiers trained at the School of the Americas at Fort Benning in Georgia were being trained in methods of torture and assasination; so they protested and lobbied for the closing of the school. There are others who believed that sending drones into Afghanistan was liable to kill innocent members of the Afghanistan population. So they protested. Still others attempted to withhold taxes that would go for war supplies such as land mines.

If governments have powerful Pentagons or militant armies, should citizens support the killing of other people by giving tax money to Caesar?

What belongs to Caesar and what belongs to God? Do the poor deserve our tax money, so that they can eat and have health care? So often the person who has money will say, “I worked for the place where I am today, and I don’t want to throw my hard earned dollars away on those jobless loafers.” They feel that they are the elect of God, and that the others have not obeyed God’s will. Those in power in church or state often believe that God is with them, and that the Moabites or the Palestinians or the poor are a threat to the well behaved community.

Whose side is God on? Which ball team will win?

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. Ask for special healings for those who lead nations or religious bodies.

Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year A, 2011,2015,2019,etc.

Reading 1 is from Exodus 22:20-26

The person that sacrificeth unto any god, save unto the God of Israel only, shall be utterly destroyed. Thou shalt neither vex a stranger, nor oppress one, for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt. Ye shall not afflict any widow, or fatherless child. If thou afflict them in any wise, and they cry at all unto me, I will surely hear their cry; and my wrath shall wax hot, and I will kill you with the sword; and your wives shall be widows, and your children fatherless. If thou lend money to any of my people that is poor by thee, thou shalt not be to them as an usurer, neither shalt thou lay upon them usury. If thou at all take thy neighbour’s raiment to pledge, thou shalt deliver it unto them before the sun goeth down.

Responsorial Psalm is #18:2-4, 47, 51

Response: I love you, O God, my strength.

God is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer;

My God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.

Response: I love you, O God, my strength.

I will call upon God, who is worthy to be praised. So shall I be saved from mine enemies.

The sorrows of death compassed me, and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid.

Response: I love you, O God, my strength.

It is God that avengeth me, and subdueth the people under me. Great deliverance giveth God to the ruler;

God sheweth mercy to the anointed, to David, and to David’s seed for evermore.

Response: I love you, O God, my strength.

Reading 2 is from I Thessalonians 1:5-10

For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of persons we were among you for your sake. And ye became followers of us, and of Jesus, having received the word in much affliction, with joy in the Holy Spirit. So that ye were examples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia. For from you sounded out the word of God not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad; so that we need not to speak any thing. For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God; and to wait for God’s Son from heaven, whom God raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.

Gospel is from Matthew 22:34-40

When the Pharisees had heard that Jesus had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together. Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked Jesus a question, tempting him, and saying, “Rabbi, which is the great commandment in the law?” Jesus said unto him, “Thou shalt love thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”

Femily: The Prisoner as My Neighbor

The first and great commandment is to love God with your whole heart, and the second is like it— you shall love your neighbor as yourself. But who is my neighbor? Is the person in prison your neighbor? Many people protest that as a neighbor, the person in prison is rather dangerous. Is there any way we could make the prisoner less dangerous? Is there a formula for turning prisoners into good, law-abiding citizens? The ‘step-down’ community is a possible approach to a loving neighborhood and to greater public safety.

New York State Department of Correction approaches, but could further implement the written policy of the Correctional Service of Canada: “The greatest protection that can be offered to the community is to assist offenders, throughout the sentence, to change their criminal behavior and to help them learn to live by the rules of society. This preparation includes programming to meet specific needs and providing opportunities to demonstrate progress through transfers to reduced security or conditional release, including temporary absences, work release, or statutory release.”

There are many opportunities, some proven in other states, where rehabilitation and reentry can be greatly facilitated. Some of these would be valuable both during prison incarceration and in transitional ‘step-down’ communities that open the way for reintegration of ‘transitional’ persons into the community.  Continuity of training in transitional ‘step-down’ communities could become a normal part of the experience for most incarcerated persons. For example:

(1) Education. Many of those incarcerated need post secondary education for meaningful work and a decent living. Privately sponsored prison education programs could be further encouraged. There is the good example of Kenneth Gibson, the President of Donnelly College, 608 N 18th Street, Kansas City KS 66102 (phone 913-621-8707) which holds a college program at Lansing Correctional Facility, Lansing KS, under Warden David McKune. Then there is the Milwaukee Area Technical “College of the Air” Program, providing satellite-delivered college education to correctional facilities. In the public sector, there may be possibilities of educational programs for incarcerated persons given by the New York State University System. These are examples which would increase the employability, self-esteem and responsibility of incarcerated and “step-down” persons.

(2) Employment. Much could be done to organize employment specifically for incarcerated and in-transition persons. For this, some states have arranged for private production companies to operate within selected prisons. For example, also housed inside the Lansing Correctional Facility is a 100% work release metal fabrication company, Zephyr Products founded by Fred Braun (913-651-7949). Other production companies use incarcerated and transitional persons in extended work release in factories outside the prison. Such work experience is invaluable in setting normal work patterns for incarcerated and transitional persons. Can NYSDOCS similarly arrange for private companies to employ incarcerated and transitional persons, either on or off correctional facility premises?

Housing Construction for the Poorest: Habitat for Humanity (121 Habitat Street, Americus GA 31709, <www.habitat.org>) is willing to help the poor around the globe with housing construction. One U.S. prison is noted for a cooperative arrangement with Habitat for Humanity where incarcerated persons can have direct involvement in production of parts of such housing developments. New York State could do the same. Both incarcerated and transitional “step-down” persons could participate.We should also consider whether such production facilities associated with prisons might contribute to the solution of the nation’s energy crisis, by – for example – production of parts for solar, wind, heat transfer, or battery systems.

(3) Microfinance Banking Support. A common means of economic development of the poorest is to encourage very small businesses and private enterprise. There have been successful small loan companies operating in poor countries such as Bangladesh. Incarcerated persons can also be taught basic economics and small business management. Even larger banks are beginning to see that small loans can make big profits. ACCION International (56 Roland Street, Suite 300, Boston MA 02129) (<www.accion.org>) has lent $12.3 billion over the years to 4.9 million people in 25 countries.  Arrangements could be made for such companies to educate incarcerated and transitional persons on entrepreneurial opportunities. (4) The Merle Cooper Program and the Alternatives to Violence Project are examples of successful programs for changing attitudes and ways of thinking. Departments of Correction and Parole could make further use of graduates of these programs, as well as those graduated from the Sing Sing Theology program (graduates still incarcerated or released) for both incarcerated and “step-down” persons. As part of the “step-own,” family counseling could be offered; and time to live with their families could be selectively offered.

The elderly and infirm. Each year, the average age of the people incarcerated is getting older; and their illnesses are getting more severe. The elderly, sick, and handicapped are an increasing cost burden. Are we to expect that they will return to a life of crime? Statistics say NO. Consult Rozann Greco’s paper. <http://www.aging.state.ny.us/explore/project2015/briefs04.htm> There is very little recidivism by the elderly or infirm who are released back into society. On the other hand, their needs are very great.

These people are not simply statistics; they are human beings still seeking a degree of personal fulfillment. Some were the young who had been mislead by poor social environments into gang warfare or drug use. Many are the adults who still lack reading and social skills, employability, and support systems. They are part of the half of the incarcerated who have reading difficulties, autism, attention deficit disorder, etc. They are part of the eleven percent of the incarcerated who are diagnosed with mental health problems. Some of them committed horrible crimes 50 years ago and have regretted their actions ever since.

At what age or infirmity should they be considered for release?  If they are to be considered for release, how can we help their reentry back into society?

There are two areas that can help their transformation: First, there is the legal area. We can encourage our state legislators to pass the POPS Bill, (the NYS geriatric and older prisoner act of 2007) providing for geriatric parole, electronic detention, correctional nursing care and selective early release.

Second there is the policy area of  DOCS to facilitate reentry and change the lives of these people and their families. A “step-down facility” specially tailored for the elderly and infirm would help. Such a ‘step-down” and parole community might involve the remodeling of a portion of a prison into a facility with programs of education, physical and mental health, addiction treatment, constructive recreation, and personal transformation, all tailored for elderly, sick and handicapped persons.

Some of these elderly incarcerated and ‘step-down’ persons could also participate in the four activities cited above.

A climate of mutual respect, cooperation and care could be purposefully developed among the inmates and with the facility staff at all “step-down” facilities. Training and encouragement could be provided to enable ‘step-down’  persons to care for each other, both physically and mentally. Correction officers could be trained in psychology, sociology, addictions, mental health, and conflict resolution, to enable them to be part of the solution.

In such an experiment, much could be learned, particularly if good records were kept of all programming and measurable results, before, during and after ‘step-down,’ to find out what works best.

Working with the incarcerated is one way to transform them into good neighbors.

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. Ask for special healings for those who lead nations or religious bodies. Ask that all the nations would “beat their swords into plough shares and their spears into pruning hooks.”

Thirtyfirst Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year A, 2011,2015,2019,etc.

Reading 1 is from Malachi 1:14—2:2, 8-10

Cursed be the deceiver, which hath in their flock a male, and voweth, and sacrificeth unto God a corrupt thing; for I am a great ruler, saith the God of Hosts, and my name is dreadful among the heathen. And now, O ye priests, this commandment is for you. If ye will not hear, and if ye will not lay it to heart, to give glory unto my name, saith the God of Hosts, I will even send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings. Yea, I have cursed them already, because ye do not lay it to heart. But ye are departed out of the way; ye have caused many to stumble at the law; ye have corrupted the covenant of Levi, saith the God of Hosts. Therefore have I also made you contemptible and base before all the people, according as ye have not kept my ways, but have been partial in the law. Have we not all one ancestor? Hath not one God created us? Why do we deal treacherously every person against their neighbor, by profaning the covenant of our ancestors?

Responsorial Psalm is #131:1-3

Response: In you, O God, I have found my peace.

Loving God, my heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty.

Neither do I exercise myself in great matters, or in things too high for me.

Response: In you, O God, I have found my peace.

Surely I have behaved and quieted myself, as a child that is weaned of their mother.

My soul is even as a weaned child.

Response: In you, O God, I have found my peace.

Let Israel hope in God from henceforth and for ever.

Response: In you, O God, I have found my peace.

Reading 2 is from I Thessalonians 2:7-13

We were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children. So being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were dear unto us. For ye remember, brethren, our labour and travail, for labouring night and day, because we would not be chargeable unto any of you, we preached unto you the gospel of God. Ye are witnesses, and God also, how holily and justly and unblameably we behaved ourselves among you that believe. As ye know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you, as a parent doth a child, that ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto the kingdom of glory. For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of persons, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.

Gospel is from Matthew 23:1-12

Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples, saying, “The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works, for they say, and do not. They bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on people’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. But all their works they do for to be seen of other people. They make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments. They love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues, and greetings in the markets, and to be called by others, ‘Rabbi, Rabbi.’ But be not ye called Rabbi, for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are Christ’s community. Call no person your father upon the earth, for one is your Abba Father, which is in heaven. But the one that is greatest among you shall be your servant. And whosoever shall exalt themselves shall be abased; and the one that shall humble themself shall be exalted.”

Femily: Call No Person ‘Father’

Call no person ‘father’ on earth. This is a hard thing to do, for we are trained to call even very young priests ‘father’. Must a priest always be male? Should a woman priest be called ‘mother’?

One of the products of God’s creation is humanity, and one possible purpose for our existence might be to increase the amount of love in the world. God’s community, the church, was established to guide us to greater love, but the authoritarian church, with its rules and regulations, runs the risk of stifling love in some areas. When its rules forbid women to officiate on the altar, women become second class citizens, and this situation makes for a decrease of love in the world.

In the first reading Malachi advises, “Have we not all one ancestor? Hath not one God created us? Why do we deal treacherously every person against their neighbor, by profaning the covenant of our ancestors?” The Jewish people lived in a particular spot in time and location. I believe they had no idea of the extent of God’s rule. They pictured a small time god who had authority in one spot around Jerusalem.

The people of the earth today are handicapped with the same sort of perception. I do not know how to introduce them to the God of the Universe. This God is beyond Muslim and Christian, beyond male and female. This is the God of the Sun, Moon, and Stars. The stars are not the limit. God is limitless, but this infinite God is still concerned with the wellbeing of each of us.

Those in authority in our religious bodies haven’t had much to do with the sun, moon, or stars recently. How a church prays, shows what a church believes.  ‘Lex orandi, lex credendi‘, the Latin phrase left over from the teenage years of the church, means literally that the law of praying is the law of believing. In our worship forms, we express our beliefs. When we worship only under the guidance of male priests, the belief that shows is that women are a lesser species, not equal with men in the sight of God. Actions speak louder than words, and liturgical actions speak loudly of male supremacy. Jesus Christ spoke out for “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

Are we prepared to love the people in neighboring countries? Are we prepared to love the creations of God on neighboring solar systems? Which is more important: Giving respect, human rights, and equality to women, or keeping them under control?

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. Ask for special healings for those who lead nations or religious bodies.

Thirtysecond Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year A, 2011,2015,2019,etc.

Reading 1 is from Wisdom 6:12-16

Resplendent and unfading is Wisdom, and she is readily perceived by those who love her, and found by those who seek her. She hastens to make herself known in anticipation of those who desire her. Those who watch for her at dawn shall not be disappointed, for they shall find her sitting by their gate. Taking thought of her is the perfection of prudence, and those who for her sake keep vigil shall quickly be free from care; because she makes her own rounds, seeking those worthy of her, and graciously appears to them in the ways, and meets them with all solicitude.

Responsorial Psalm is #63:2-8

Response: My soul is thirsting for you, O my God.

To see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary.

Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee.

Response: My soul is thirsting for you, O my God.

My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness;

My mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips.

Response: My soul is thirsting for you, O my God.

Thus will I bless thee while I live. I will lift up my hands in thy name.

When I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night watches.

Response: My soul is thirsting for you, O my God.

Because thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice.

My soul followeth hard after thee. Thy right hand upholdeth me.

Response: My soul is thirsting for you, O my God.

Reading 2 is from I Thessalonians 4:13-18

But I would not have you to be ignorant, sisters and brothers, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of Jesus, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of Jesus shall not prevent them which are asleep. For Jesus himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God, and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet Jesus in the air, and so shall we ever be with Jesus. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

Gospel is from Matthew 25:1-11

Then shall the realm of God be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them; but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. At midnight there was a cry made, “Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.” Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said unto the wise, “Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.” But the wise answered, saying, “Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you; but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.” And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage, and the door was shut. Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, “Master, open to us.” But he answered and said, “Verily I say unto you, I know you not.” Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.

Femily: God’s Good Time

The virgins waited for the coming of the bridegroom, and some of them were ready, and some were not. Others looked forward to the coming of Wisdom, and some just didn’t get up early enough to track her down. Still others were wondering about when they would see again the ones they loved who had died, and Paul was reassuring them that that great day would come, in God’s good time.

Then there are the women who are waiting for the Pope to OK women as priests. The Pope wants the hierarchy to be in solidarity with women, but there is still the matter of God’s good time.

Surely, God wants all the poor to be fed, but we are not to push the hand of God. All these things will come to pass in God’s good time.

The papal encyclical, Sollicitude Rei Socialis, tells us that we should be in solidarity with all human beings and with the earth. Solidarity is defined as a firm and persevering determination to commit oneself to the common good, the good of each and all and of the natural world. How do we implement this directive from the concerned hearts of those selected to guide us? In looking about for someone to solidarize with, we find that American blacks are still frequently treated as second class citizens. How can we assist this ethnic group to its proper place in the sun?

In the first place, we err by specifying that the black community has a problem. We have singled them out again, and emphasized that they are separate, different, somehow less. We subconsciously swell our chests in thinking that they do indeed need our superior help. Just in posing the question of greater acceptance and more equal treatment, we have somehow condescended. We have increased our self esteem and decreased theirs. The problem is not just a black problem. It may be more of a white problem. We seem to need someone to feel superior to. When caught in a bad situation, we like to blame it on someone else. Look how Adam blamed it all on Eve.

Why can’t all humanbeings be in solidarity with one another? Why do we who are born into privilege and expectation, find it so hard to understand the frustrations of others?

When we diagram the hierarchy of the church as a pyramid, and realize that a few voices at the top of the pyramid presume to know the God thoughts of the mass at the bottom (without even listening to the base), we must admire the faith of those at the top. They believe that whatever words they speak from out of their cultural perspective, will suit the plurality of cultures and problems of those who suffer at the base. They are guilty of a certain blindness (we might laud this as blind faith); their own selves are so big in their sights that they cannot see beyond those selves. They have been linked for so long to a particular theology and culture, that they actually believe God has given them pre-eminence of wisdom in the earth. Thus a further area where reconciliation or liberation is needed is in the area of the priesthood. All are capable of serving God, not just those who have educational degrees and male sex organs.

Why is it that no American Catholic has made use of our laws on non-discrimination in hiring, in order to high light the discriminatory practices of the Catholic Church? All American Catholics are subject to these laws. When it comes to the abortion question, many Catholics are ready to uphold God’s justice over man’s justice. If the state is more Christian than those in power in our church community, aren’t we, as Christian, compelled to uphold the more loving choice?

When those in the church community disagree as to what is the proper course to pursue, they are advised to confront their maligner face-to-face. If no justice comes from this confrontation, they then take it to civil law, and to ultimate disruption and penalties. Matthew 5:26 urges that we come to terms with the opponent.  I Corinthians 6:6 frets that Christians cannot come to just decisions without consulting ruling magistrates. “You should be ashamed: is there really not one reliable man among you to settle differences and so one person brings a court case against another in front of unbelievers?”

In every diocese there are women who could apply for the job of deacon, and file a law suit against the employer who refused to hire them. Why don’t Catholic women make use of civil laws on non-discrimination due to sex, age, color, or marital status, in order to have equal employment in all areas in the U.S. Catholic Church? All other big employers are forced to comply. What would happen if GM refused to hire a qualified woman? What would happen if the local firehouse refused to take a nursing mother on its team? We know that the result would be a lot of publicity, and also anger.

The reason why Catholic women do not often use civil laws to achieve justice and equality, is that they are too kind or too subservient to their authorities. To be Catholic and Christian is to make a statement that one is loving and searching for God’s justice to be done in all situations. In the case of women and married deacons and priests, we do not prosecute our bishops and cardinals with civil law, because they are frail, elderly gentlemen who are doing their best to be obedient to what they feel is the next best thing to God’s authority, which for them is the Pope’s authority. We do not want to rock the boat (the bark of Peter), so we do not prosecute, but we seek open communication. How we wish that these elderly gentlemen would follow the advice to shepherds in I Peter 5:3, “Never be a dictator over any group that is put in your charge.” We hope that bishops and popes will listen to the subservient, and stabilize the boat with justice and equality, or they will tip the boat with their unjust emphasis, and we will all fall out!

If they do not listen to the consensus of opinion of those who make up the body, particularly on issues such as contraception, they cannot speak for the Holy Spirit, for the Holy Spirit dwells in all of us!

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. Ask for special healings for those who lead nations or religious bodies.

Thirtythird Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year A, 2011,2015,2019,etc.

Reading 1 is from Proverbs 31:10-13, 19-20, 30-31

Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies. The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil. She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life. She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands. She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff. She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy. Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth God, she shall be praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.

Responsorial Psalm is #128:1-5

Response: Happy are those who fear God.

Blessed is every one that feareth God; that walketh in God’s ways.

For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands; happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee.

Response: Happy are those who fear God.

Thy husband shall be as a faithful friend dwelling in thine house.

Thy children like olive plants round about thy table.

Response: Happy are those who fear God.

Behold, that thus shall the woman be blessed that feareth God.

God shall bless thee out of Zion, and thou shalt see the good of Jerusalem all the days of thy life.

Response: Happy are those who fear God.

Reading 2 is from I Thessalonians 5:1-6

But of the times and the seasons, sisters and brothers, ye have no need that I write unto you. For yourselves know perfectly that the day of atonement cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, “Peace and safety;” then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. But ye, sisters and brothers, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day; we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.

Gospel is from Matthew 25:14-30

For the realm of heaven is as a person travelling into a far country, who called their own servants, and delivered unto them some money. And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every person according to their several ability; and then the master went on his journey. Then the servant that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made, with them, another five talents. And likewise the one that had received two,  gained another two. But the servant that had received only one talent went and digged in the earth, and hid the master’s money. After a long time the master of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them. And so the one that had received five talents came and brought another five talents, saying, “Master, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more.” The master said to that servant, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things. Enter thou into the joy of thy master.” The one also that had received two talents came and said, “Master, thou deliveredst unto me two talents. Behold, I have gained two other talents beside them.” The master said to that one, “Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things. Enter thou into the joy of thy master.” Then the one which had received the one talent came and said, “Master, I knew thee that thou art diligent, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed. And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth. Lo, there thou hast that is thine.” The master answered and said to the last servant, “Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed. Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury. Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents. For unto every one that hath shall be given, and those shall have abundance, but from those that hath not, shall be taken away even that which they hath. And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

Femily: Profitable Servants

I always feel a bit sorry for the last servant, who obviously had disabilities, and couldn’t keep up with the other servants. Why did the master give that one money in the first place, and then expect the poor servant to come up with a solution that would profit the master?

The master doesn’t seem to be using good sense in his treatment of the last servant. I hope that God isn’t like that, gathering where God hasn’t planted.

However, our God has planted everywhere, as all the Universe is God’s production. So what does God expect of us? Why did God make us and the universe?

So many of us are unprofitable servants; give us five talents and we are liable to waste them all. Can we use our talents or gifts somehow to save the earth and please God?

What can we do for God, so that we can be considered profitable servants? Nero fiddled while Rome burned. Politicians argue while our infrastructure and youth rot away. Our country is falling apart! Because many in the federal government haven’t listened to each other, we have a Middle East war, jobs are going overseas, our market economy is failing us, purchase power of the minimum wage is down over thirty percent, company pensions are failing, health insurance is ridiculous. What can states do for their people?

California is trying to do something about these problems, but New York State is organized so that we are subject to the disagreements of lawmakers and the insinuations of newspapers. Is there any reason why Republicans and Democrats must be so controversial? Can’t the major parties cooperate on a positive project to save their state and perhaps even demonstrate to the rest of the world a way out of the desolation?

Major problems in the state (and in the world) are joblessness, environmental degradation, severe militarization (guns, landmines, nuclear weapons, torture of prisoners, youth soldiers), immigration, and politicians and news media who play on our fears. What can we do about all that?

Legislators understandably have trouble listening to their constituents about discarding drug laws because they see as an immediate after effect, thousands on the streets to join the homeless, the jobless, the addicted, the uneducated, and the unmentored. Why didn’t our leaders supply job training, addiction treatment, education, parenting skills, etc. to the incarcerated for the past 35 years under the drug Laws? The same problems exist in the Sudan. The youth have no jobs and see no positive future. They are easily convinced to join the military who give them companionship and food to eat. To a lesser extent, the same is true in the City of Yonkers. The youth are brought up in a culture of guns and gangs.

Imagine a news headline that says “Republicans cooperate with Democrats on job creation for inner city youth.” Can’t we formulate a work/study program for our youth where they congregate in a local school or office building for four hours to watch educational videos on building construction and then go out in the community for four hours to apply their skills on dilapidated housing? We have so many colleges, but we condemn our young black men to prison. How could we stop this waste of young people? How can we undo the waste of human energy that has occurred under the Rockefeller Drug Law fiasco? Can’t we have a Study, Work, and Apply program for the incarcerated? Can’t we guide the youth and the formerly incarcerated into being mentors for each other?

Our present infrastructure is decaying. We depend on oil, and that is being priced out of existence. What jobs can we find for our formerly incarcerated and our youth? There are many projects that will help us into the future. We can create jobs that are environmentally sound such as the manufacture of electric or solar buses, wind turbines, geothermal systems, solar power, water power, the rebuilding of decaying cities in an environmental manner (such as Beacon and Yonkers), beach homes can be put up on stilts, highways rebuilt, highway fences painted and repaired, and bridges strengthened. We could start training persons for these jobs while they are still incarcerated, using practical videos. Have them rebuild their own prisons into homes they can live in.

Those who want to be classified as ‘profitable servants’ might consider these suggestions and discuss them with each other and with other knowledgeable people. God’s purpose in making the universe might be a desire to see humans helping each other onward to personal fulfillment.

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. Ask for special healings for those who lead nations or religious bodies.

Last Ordinary Sunday, The Feast of Christ The King - Year A ending Nov.20,2011; also 2015,2019,etc.

Reading 1 is from Ezekiel 34:11-12,15-17

For thus saith our Loving God;- Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out. As a shepherd seeketh out her flock in the day that she is among her sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day. And I will bring them out from the people, and gather them from the countries, and will bring them to their own land, and feed them upon the mountains of Israel by the rivers, and in all the inhabited places of the country. I will feed them in a good pasture, and upon the high mountains of Israel shall their fold be. There shall they lie in a good fold, and in a fat pasture shall they feed upon the mountains of Israel. I will feed my flock, and I will cause them to lie down, saith God. I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick; but I will destroy the fat and the strong. I will feed them with judgment. And as for you, O my flock, thus saith our Loving God, behold, I judge between cows and bulls, between rams and goats.

Responsorial Psalm is #42:6-10

Response: As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.

O my God, my soul is cast down within me.

Therefore will I remember thee from the land of Jordan.

Response: As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.

Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy waterspouts.

All thy waves and thy billows are gone over me.

Response: As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.

Yet God will command God’s lovingkindness in the day time,

And in the night God’s song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life.

Response: As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.

I will say unto God my rock, Why hast thou forgotten me?

Why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?

Response: As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.

Reading 2 is from I Corinthians 15:20-26,28

Christ is now risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. For since by humanbeings came death, by humanbeings came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every person in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming. Then cometh the end, when Christ shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. For the Good Spirit must reign, until all enemies are subdued. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. For God hath subdued all material and spiritual quantities. But when God saith all things are put under Christ, it is manifest that God is excepted, which did put all things under Christ. And when all things shall be subdued unto Spirit, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto God that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.

Gospel is from Matthew 25:31-45

When the Servant of Humanity shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory. Before him shall be gathered all nations; and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats. He shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the Ruler say unto them on his right hand, “Come, ye blessed of my Abba, inherit the realm prepared for you from the foundation of the world, for I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat. I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink. I was a stranger, and ye took me in. Naked, and ye clothed me. I was sick, and ye visited me. I was in prison, and ye came unto me.” Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, “Good Ruler, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? Or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? Or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?” And the Ruler shall answer and say unto them, “Verily I say unto you, inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these of my community, ye have done it unto me.” Then shall the Ruler say also unto them on the left hand, “Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels, for I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat. I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink. I was a stranger, and ye took me not in. Naked, and ye clothed me not. Sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.” Then shall they also answer him, saying, “Good Ruler, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?” Then shall the Ruler answer them, saying, “Verily I say unto you, inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.”

Femily: U.N. Commission on Social Development Worries about The Least of These

Does God rule in the United Nations? If we do not feed and clothe the immigrant, and do not perform other works of mercy on them, is it the same as if we turned the Christ or the Spirit of the Messiah, out of our hearts? If we no longer proclaim and act on the Message of Love, will the earth dry up and become unfruitful? What happens when the enemy Death is destroyed, and all things are subdued under God or Great Merciful Spirit?

What is the situation in the world today, particularly as in regards to women? Women are subjected to the sex slave trade. They are tortured and killed. They see their children go hungry. The message of love urges us all to seek life for others instead of death. When we put people at the center of everything that we do to assure full employment and decent work for all, we take the first step in making a decent life possible for every member of society.

Perhaps God has some influence in the U.N.. The U.N. Commission for Social Development is working on promoting full employment and decent work for all. There is agreement by the United Nations Member States to put people at the center of development in order to overcome poverty, create full employment and foster social integration (Copenhagen, 1995) which underpins the international commitment to achieving the Millennium Development Goals. The 46th session of the Commission for Social Development, offers an opportunity to embed this principle in both policy options and practical measures to accelerate the “Promotion of Full Employment and Decent Work for all”. It urges that such policies and actions must recognize that (and I quote):

o    “Basic human rights affirm the dignity of work and its value in the development of the person.

o    Assuring worthwhile and productive work is an important means to eradicate poverty.

o    Work alone is not enough. Jobs are created for people and cannot be created in a vacuum. Employment needs to respond to the needs of the community and contribute to the development of the community.

o    Governments must involve their citizens, especially those living in poverty, in social dialogue at the local, regional and global levels, so that the voices of ordinary people can be heard, especially in decision-making that determine all the parameters of work.

o    The right to decent working conditions, adequate compensation, social protection and social security must be honored in employment policies and regulations that govern labor standards.

o    Women make up at least half of the work force. Just compensation for their contributions in both the formal and informal work sectors contributes to social stability and protects them from forced labor and exploitation.

o    Sustainability and social integration of the marginalized members of society are assured when governments work hand in hand with their citizens, using the principles of cooperatives within their countries, rather than allowing external, global institutions  motivated by profit, regulate trade and financing that only increases the inequalities  that already exist in our world.

“Gender, age, education, health, ethnicity and location are just a few variables influencing the attainment of full employment and decent work.  Our concern is particularly with the most vulnerable and disproportionately affected populations. Long-standing inequities must be addressed and new opportunities presented by new situations, like climate change, must be maximized for employment of these groups.

“We believe that the plight of women in the workplace must be addressed to undo the feminization of poverty.  Women are highly affected by mechanisms that generate poverty and lack of decent work:  women are denied access, participation and power. These inequities cannot be addressed without taking gender into account in every aspect of global economy and employment policy.  Women must have equal opportunity for employment with equal pay and equal social protections.  An NGO Survey of Effective Practices in Employment examined 50 successful employment environments. The Survey found that successful workplaces are characterized by legal protections that are fair, transparent and equally applied.  Where gender-responsive budgeting has been implemented there have been positive impacts on the economy and on lifting people out of poverty. It is imperative that such mechanisms become the norm.

“The plight of women in poverty is related to the phenomenon of unpaid work like child care and care of the critically ill and aging.  We propose national and international recognition and accounting of unpaid work that sustains society.  Further, we believe that governments must find creative means to remunerate unpaid work.  Remuneration would recognize the vital contribution of unpaid work to quality of life, provide economic support for families that are under-served and infuse another stream of currency into national economies.  Remuneration for unpaid work could be attached to food vouchers, health services and other social protections.

“The search for decent work is a driving force in the ever increasing population of migrants and internally displaced persons throughout the world. More emphasis must be placed on a normative and rights based framework within which migration should be regulated. We strongly support such a framework, and believe that it should take into account core labor standards and the decent work agenda including due process and fair wages. We believe a rights-based framework would aid in ameliorating the exploitative conditions under which many migrants are currently employed.

“Forced labor and the trafficking of women and children for sexual exploitation and prostitution are closely linked to poverty and migration. While poverty as a root cause of trafficking and migration must be addressed, governments must also enforce anti-trafficking laws, punish the perpetrators and confiscate the profits. Governments must uncover and prosecute the source of demand for forced labor, sexual exploitation and prostitution. It is a human right to have decent work where one is not exploited.

“We urge that all member states examine the free movement of capital and labor across borders in making multilateral agreements. Further, we encourage governments to create migration policies that facilitate family unification, productive employment and the transfer of remittances. Finally, as a preventative measure, sending countries must be assisted to develop domestic markets in order to retain skilled laborers.”

Will we stand with the sheep or with the goats at the Last Judgment?

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. Ask for special healings for those who lead nations or religious bodies.

from First Sunday of Advent (2011) through Solemnity of Christ the King (2012)

Readings and Femily for The First Sunday of Advent – Year B starts Nov.27,2011; (also 2015,2019,etc.)

Reading 1 is from Isaiah 63:16-19, 64:2-7

Great God, without doubt you are our maker, though Abraham be ignorant of U.S., and Israel acknowledge us not; you, Great God are our maker, our redeemer; you are from everlasting. Great God, why have you made us to wander from your ways, and hardened our hearts, so we do not fear you? For your servants’ sake, return our tribes to their heritage. Your holy people have possessed the land but a little while. Their adversaries have trodden down your sanctuary. Oh, that you would rend the heavens and come down with the mountains quaking at your presence. You came down and wrought awesome deeds we could not hope for. Since the beginning of the world people have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, Great God, what you have prepared for those that patiently wait for you. You rejoice in those who remember your ways and work righteousness; but you are wroth when we are sinful and when there is none to stir themselves up to take hold of you; for you have hidden your face from us, and have consumed us, because of our iniquities. But, Great God, you are our maker; we are the clay, and you are the potter; we are all the work of your hands.

Responsorial Psalm is #80:2-3, 15-19

Response: God of Angel Hosts, make us turn to you. Let us see your face, and we shall be saved.

Shepherd of Israel, hearken, from your throne upon the cherubim, shine forth.

Stir up your might, and come to save us.

Response: God of Angel Hosts, make us turn to you. Let us see your face, and we shall be saved.

Once again, O God of Angel Hosts, look down from heaven and see.

You have brought a vine out of Egypt; protect what your right hand has planted.

Response: God of Angel Hosts, make us turn to you. Let us see your face, and we shall be saved.

Reading 2 is from I Corinthians 1:4-9

I give thanks to my God always concerning you for the grace of God which has been given to you through Christ Jesus, because in everything you have been enriched,— in all utterance and in all knowledge. This witness to Christ Jesus has been made so firm in you that you lack no grace as you wait for the appearance of Christ Jesus who will strengthen you to the end, so that you will be blameless on that day of revelation. God is trustworthy who has called you to fellowship with the person, Christ Jesus.

Gospel is from Mark 13:33-37

Jesus said to the disciples: “Be constantly on the watch! Stay awake! You do not know when the appointed time will come. It is like a person traveling abroad who leaves home and places the servants in charge, each with their own task; and the owner orders the gatekeeper to watch with a sharp eye. Look around you! You do not know when the owner of the house is coming, whether at dusk, or the middle of the night, or at early dawn, when the cock crows. Do not let that one come suddenly and find you asleep. What I say to you, I say to all: Stay awake!”

Femily: You Are Richly Endowed with Spiritual Gifts!

Look around you. Be kind to your environment. Be compassionate to the people that cross your path. Take advantage of opportunities. God will encourage other angelic or earthly servants to supply all you need!

For instance, a woman from a very poor country called Muldove had two disabled children. They were very difficult for her to care for. She approached a political advisor asking him what could be done. This gentleman had no money to give, but he was able to put her in touch with corporations and educators. The United Nations is sometimes able to help through the use of non-governmental organizations. The World Bank had devised a program to help the disabled that involved the vulnerable in helping themselves. This program helped to empower the disabled, who have responsibilities as well as rights. This mother and her children were able to show other people who had disabled family members how to live positive lives. There is inexpensive media help available to teach the public along these lines and to build community. A society that runs well for the vulnerable, will generally run well for all.

Sometimes corruption creeps in by those seeking power. Why do poverty and prisons exist in a world where most of the world’s religions proclaim variations of the Golden Rule? Is it that political leaders become shortsighted and do not recognize the suffering of the poor? Or is this non-acknowledgment somehow the fault of us ordinary people who have so much on our platters that we fail to see the starving Lazarus on our doorstep?

The International Labor Organization has convention #159 which is the statement used for those persons with disabilities. If prisoners are considered vulnerable, they are affected by convention #159. Prisoners could be and should be helped by education. Various colleges have developed internet education courses that can be used by the disabled and by prisoners. Taking these courses helps prisoners to help themselves. Taking these courses makes prisoners easier to get along with, and makes the job of guarding them easier. Those who act as guards in asylums and prisons could also benefit from further education in psychology and management.

MIT OpenCourseWare was first announced in 2001. Since that time the web site (http://ocw.mit.edu) has grown to include materials from virtually the entire MIT undergraduate and graduate curriculum (1800 courses). These materials are published under an open license that encourages reuse, redistribution and modification for non-commercial purposes. Many of these materials are distributed for free to anyone in the world with Internet access, and no registration is required. This Courseware Website is accessed by close to 1 million visitors per month by educators, students, and self-learners from around the world. Other corporations supply computers to the poor of the world who have an electricity source available, so that the poor can benefit from free courseware.

We have heard the phrase, “God helps those who help themselves,” God also helps other people to help those who need assistance. God has given us all gifts to be used in helping ourselves and in helping others.

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer.

Gender-Equal Readings and Femily for  Second Sunday of Advent – Year B: 2011,2015,2019,etc.

Reading 1 is from Isaiah 40:1-5, 9-11

Be comforted, be comforted, my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and call to her for her service is at an end, her guilt is forgiven; indeed, she has received from the hand of God double for all her sins. A voice cries out in the desert:— Prepare the way for the Redeemer! Make straight in the wasteland a highway for our God! Every valley shall be exalted, every mountain and hill shall be made low; the rugged land shall be made a plain, the rough country, a broad valley. Then the glory of God shall be revealed, and all humankind shall see it together, for the mouth of God has spoken. Go up onto a high mountain, Zion, herald of glad tidings; cry out at the top of your voice, Jerusalem, herald of good news! Fear not to cry out and say to the cities of Judah; Here is your God! Here comes with power your Redeemer, who rules with a strong arm, showering benefits and rewards on the people. Like a shepherd, God feeds the flock, gathering the lambs and carrying them in gentle arms, while leading the ewes with care.

Responsorial Psalm is #85: 9-14

Response: Great God, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.

I will hear what God proclaims; truly God proclaims peace to the people.

Surely salvation is near to those who fear God, that glory may dwell in the land.

Response: Great God, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.

Kindness and truth shall meet; justice and peace shall kiss.

Truth shall spring out of the earth, and justice shall look down from heaven.

Response: Great God, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.

God will bless the people with benefits; the earth shall yield its increase.

Justice walks in the view of God, and salvation follows in God’s footsteps.

Response: Great God, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.

Reading 2 is from II Peter 3:8-14

There is one thing, my friends, that you must not forget: That with God, one day can mean one thousand years and a thousand years are like a day. God does not delay in keeping promises—though some consider it “delay.” Rather God shows you generous patience, wanting nobody to be lost, but all to come to repentance. The day of God’s justice will come like a thief, and on that day the heavens will vanish with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and all its deeds will be made manifest. Since everything will be destroyed in this way, you should be living holy and saintly lives while you wait for the coming of the day of God and try to hasten it! Because of it, the heavens will be destroyed in flames and the elements will melt away in a blaze. What we await are new heavens and a new earth where, according to God’s promises, the true justice will reside. So, dear friends, while waiting for this, make every effort to be found without stain or defilement, and at peace in God’s sight.

Gospel is from Mark 1:1-8

Here begins the gospel of Jesus Christ, the person full of the grace of God. In Isaiah the prophet, it is written: “I send my messenger before you to prepare your way: a herald’s voice in the desert, crying, ‘Make ready the way of the Messiah; clear a straight path.’” Thus it was that John the Baptizer appeared in the desert proclaiming a baptism of repentance which led to the forgiveness of sins. All the Judean countryside and the people of Jerusalem went out to him in great numbers. They were being baptized by John in the Jordan River as they confessed their sins. John was clothed in camel’s hair, and wore a leather belt around his waist. His food was grasshoppers and wild honey. The theme of his preaching was: “One more powerful than I is to come after me. I am not fit to stoop and untie his sandal straps. I have baptized you in water; the Messiah will baptize you in the Holy Spirit.”

Femily: Justice and Peace Will Kiss

When will we, the people, be baptized in the Holy Spirit? When we, the people, take care of the disabled and the prisoner, and help them to help themselves, so that justice and peace will dwell together on the earth. In this dream world, governments and the private sector will encourage jobs for those confined by their disabilities. A small start has been made. There will be restructuring of places of confinement into communities where human rights are observed, the rights such as voting and education. More local governments have started social service programs for former prisoners to aid in their reintegration. In Sweden there is the ombudsman to help workers find jobs. In Qatar the queen announced job opportunities for youth. The private sector in Syria plans to develop jobs in communication, tourism, and technology. There must be equality of treatment for all men and women, family programs for those who can’t work outside the family, decent work for those with disabilities. Those in prisons and asylums can be classified as having disabilities. That is one of the reasons why they have been confined. In Brazil 7 million young people go neither to school or work. A government supported program for six million persons is being put in place. This should help to prevent the shooting of children by harassed police. There should be programs for police to help teenagers overcome their poverty environments, where both police and teenagers are given free internet education on social dynamics. Such a program might encourage the Holy Spirit to build a Holy Community according to the message of Jesus. Then we might see a world in which Justice and Peace will kiss.

Our world has come a long way since the dinosaurs. Yes, we are related to the dinosaur. Humans and dinosaurs have some of the same genetic structure. Yes, Palestinians and Hebrews are both descended from the same ancient father Abraham and his sister/wife Sarah. The National Geographic in its Genographic Project on peoples of the earth, is trying to prove that we are all products of the same evolutionary process. It should be possible for us all to share the earth and have reasonable relationships with one another.

Why are we all killing each other? The many cultural children of Abraham and Sarah have Holy Books with ethical teachings that relate how to get along on the earth. If we tromp violently into a land killing its people, we will not be welcome. We are told that if we are kind to the widow and the orphan, we will dwell in peace. If we forgive others’ misdeeds, our own misdeeds will be forgiven.

The Jewish people have had many ups and downs in their possession of the land of Israel. Bloody turmoil has resulted many times from power plays by kings and tribesmen. King David was an example of how to unite disparate groups. In his coming to power, he became friendly with those who were disastisfied with the reign of his predecessor Saul. He was sympathetic to their complaints. They made a formal pact at Hebron. I Chronicles 11 names these champions. David got these tribespeople to agree on boundaries acceptable to all. They affirmed that they were brothers, sons of the land of Jacob, descended from Abraham, and that they would help each other. This varied grouping stayed together under David, and also under Solomon (who was a bit more commercial and worked the people harder), but this unity disintegrated at Solomon’s death.

David had empathy and listened to the complaints of the people. He gathered religious people together and brought back the Ark of the Covenant, a major religious symbol, to the city of Jerusalem. How do the leaders of Israel today resemble David? Not too well. They do not have empathy. They do not listen to the complaints of the people. They bomb members of the populace. They do not show respect for the religious buildings or symbols of others. They do not use Restorative Justice techniques of mediation, consultation, understanding, and forgiveness.

What do the leaders of Israel need today? To make a start at solving the problems in the Near East, one could get wise mediators from South Africa and India. One could request tribal leaders from all major divisions and cultures (Fatah, Hezbollah, Shi’ites, Sunnis). One could ask for proposals about land rights, oil rights, water rights, environmental concerns, and rebuilding projects to help refugees. Women also need to be listened to. Most women abhor war. Women are needed to organize and empathize with the women. If wise people listen to each other, we might see a world where Justice and Peace will kiss.

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.”  Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. Pray for the other members of God’s family.

Gender-Equal Readings and Femily for Third Sunday of Advent - Year B: 2011,2015,2019,etc.

Reading 1 is from Isaiah 61:1-2, 10-11

God’s Spirit is upon me, because God has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; God has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the year of God’s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; I will greatly rejoice in God; my soul shall exult in God, for I have been clothed with the garment of salvation; I have been covered with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself like a priest with a beautiful headdress, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. For as the earth brings forth its sprouts, and as a garden causes what is sown in it to sprout up, so God will cause righteousness and praise to sprout up before all the nations.

Responsorial Psalm is Mary’s Song from Luke 1:46-54

Response: My soul rejoices in my God.

My being proclaims the greatness of God; my spirit finds joy in God my savior;

for God has looked upon this servant in her lowliness; all ages to come will call me blessed.

Response: My soul rejoices in my God.

God who is mighty has done great things for me; holy is Yahweh.

Mercy is from age to age on those who give God reverence.

Response: My soul rejoices in my God.

The hungry have been given every good thing while the rich have been sent empty away.

God has come to the help of Israel, ever merciful to Abraham and Sara and their descendants.

Response: My soul rejoices in my God.

Reading 2 is from I Thessalonians 5:16-24

Be happy at all times, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies, but test everything; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil. May the God of peace make you perfect and holy, and may your spirit and soul and body be kept blameless for the coming of Christ Jesus. God who calls you is faithful and will not fail you.

Gospel is from John 1:6-8, 19-28

There was a person sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light. And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.” And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” So they said to him, “Who are you? We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” He said, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the pathways of our God,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.” (Now they had been sent from the Pharisees.) They asked him, “Then why are you baptizing, if you are neither the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” John answered them, “I baptize with water, but among you stands one you do not know, even he who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.” These things took place in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

Femily: Government, Leadership, and Viable Community

The Pharisees were in a governmental position, and they sent their servants to question John the Baptist as to his intentions. John was building a community of followers in the desert, and the Pharisees were worried about their power slipping away from them. What qualities contribute to an effective and long-lasting community? Do we in this country have well developed governmental institutions? Many persons in the U.S. pride themselves on their so-called “democratic” government. Are we kidding ourselves? We look around the world and we can find many examples of power-crazed persons who have positions in government because mysterious forces have disposed of their rivals. Those in power claim to be innocent of these liquidations. Who inspired the killers of Benazir Bhutto? Who tinkered with the plane of Paul Wellstone? We look at our church affiliations. We can see with the Roman Catholic Church that we are led by a benevolent monarch in majestic robes. His followers respect his leadership. What about the government of that church? “The [sexual abuse] crisis has magnified the realization that the laity are absolutely powerless in the government of their Church. There is a total lack of institutional checks and balances that would allow them some say about how authority is exercised.” (Robert Rowden, “The Real Agenda” in Boston College- C21 Resources, Fall 2004) However, as long as that leader tries to serve his constituency, he will be able to maintain a semblance of control.

How about the U.S. government? The checks and balances put in place by the “founding parents” have been disregarded. Do our leaders really serve “their people”? When thousands of young men are killed, mutilated, or traumatized; when thousands of Iraqi and Afghan people are killed or forced to flee their country; when corporate access to resources and profits are given preference over human life;— We, the People, though relatively powerless, must speak up. How long can a government exist without the support of true community? If a government does not gain the support of the poor and oppressed in its jurisdiction, it may degenerate into a police state. Jesus was glad to affirm that his kingdom was not of this world. Will we be able to find the true peace and justice of God’s kingdom?

True peace cannot effectively be built with new policies and guarantees alone. True peace also requires the building of trust between peoples, even when history divides them. Steps are needed to encourage greater dialogue, to deepen trust, and to build confidence between the diverse peoples of the Middle East.

Greater dialogue among peoples is often not the result when leaders of those peoples consult together. Fortunately, there is a certain resistance of people to admit that all wisdom resides in leadership.

For maximum effectiveness, positive dialogue should take place at the grass roots level, as well as among the upper echelons, (and every place in between).

This has been realized by many of the people in Israel-Palestine since its conception, and is a prime consideration in its holy books. There have been attempts by many individuals to increase dialogue and understanding, but such groups frequently run into government suspicion. Besides political mistrust, there is also the problem of religious differences. One religious organization may feel threatened by what they see as a grab for power by another religious organization, in such a harmless and positive activity as groups intended to increase friendship among children and teen agers.

What might work in this normal everyday human situation of unease with the attitudes of one’s neighbor, is getting official agreement for a non-religious workshop run by volunteers, which would give experiential instruction in trust, non-violence, and the community building of diverse groups. I want to emphasize the importance of the facilitators of such a program being volunteers, because as soon as there is money or possible power-grabs involved, participants become suspicious of the facilitators’ motives. This can destroy trust. The participants must also be volunteers, looking for peaceful solutions to violent situations.

These observations come from my more than thirty years of experience as a volunteer in the New York State Department of Corrections. In the building of community through the many diverse layers of the prison complex, I have found that the non-sectarian Alternatives to Violence workshops are most effective. They are voluntarily participated in by men and women of all faiths,- Muslim, Buddhist, Jewish, Christian, Hindu, Atheist. Not only is this program given to inmates, instilling creative solutions to the problems of violence within the prison and out in the larger society, but inmates are trained to give this program to others, multiplying its effect. The workshops are not restricted to prison, but are also available in the outside community. Such workshops have been done in the Palestinian refugee camps. If people all over the world were exposed to similar community workshops, we might approach more closely the Beloved Community of Jesus, which proclaims Good News to the poor, liberty to the captives, and healing to the distressed.

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer.

Readings and Femily for Fourth Sunday of Advent - Year B: 2011,2015,2019,etc.

Reading 1 is from II Samuel 7:1-5, 8-11, 16

Now when the king lived in his house and was given rest from all his surrounding enemies, he said to Nathan the prophet, “See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells in a tent.” And Nathan said to the king, “Go, do all that is in your heart, for God is with you.” But that same night the word of God came to Nathan, “Go and tell my servant David, Thus says our God: Would you build me a house to dwell in? Now, therefore, thus you shall say to my servant David, Thus says our God of hosts: I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, that you should be prince over my people Israel. And I have been with you wherever you went and have cut off all your enemies from before you. And I will make for you a great name, like the name of the great ones of the earth. And I will appoint a place for my people Israel and will plant them, so that they may dwell in their own place and be disturbed no more. And violent men shall afflict them no more, as formerly, from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel. And I will give you rest from all your enemies. Moreover, our God declares to you that your descendants will become a dynasty, and your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever.”

Responsorial Psalm is #89:2-5, 27-29

Response: Forever I will sing the goodness of God.

The favors of God I will sing forever; in the heavens you will establish your faithfulness.

“I have sworn to David my servant: I will establish your offspring forever, and your throne for all generations.”

Response: Forever I will sing the goodness of God.

“I have made a covenant with my chosen one; I have sworn to David my servant:

Forever will I confirm your posterity and establish your throne for all generations.”

Response: Forever I will sing the goodness of God.

“I will make him the firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth.

Forever I will maintain my kindness toward him, and my covenant with him stands firm.”

Response: Forever I will sing the goodness of God.

Reading 2 is from Romans 16:25-27

Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith— to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen.

Gospel is from Luke 1:25-38

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the loving God is with you!” But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of  the Most High. And God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy— the Son of God. And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.” And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of  God; let it be done to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

Femily: Women in Church and Society

We must recognize that our faith is built on the backs of loving and compassionate women. Where would Christianity be without the affirming words of Mary, “Let it be done unto me according to thy will!” How can we help to end the discriminatory sexism in our society, and to empower women, especially those who have made significant contributions like Mary and Elizabeth.

One method to use is to pass on to the general population the fact that unheralded women have made fundamental contributions to the foundations of Western civilization— our Judeo-Christian heritage. Much of our history is given us from a patriarchal viewpoint. The Jewish and Christian scriptures, translated and interpreted over the centuries, also passed through the patriarchal glasses. Uncertainties of ancient languages led to the patriarchal assumptions of male authorship, when, in fact, women authors probably were involved. The realization of the leading roles played by women in the earliest days of our religious culture helps to destroy the cultural distortion that women are followers of superior male intellect. It establishes the fact that women of yesterday made, and women of today make, some of the most profound contributions to civilization’s continued development. Awareness of the vital contributions made by women in the early churches can have a liberating and empowering effect on most women. To make this knowledge more widely known among women, it would be helpful if priests gave homilies featuring women, or had women give homilies on their own behalf.

Another important fact about female leadership is that most women are less physically violent than most men. Women do not want their sons and husbands to go off to war and be maimed or killed. Young men who have more testosterone are easily persuaded that war is a glorious game, and they think that they will be one of the lucky ones who will come back alive. Those who come back alive are troubled by the nightmares of fellow human beings who they have killed. They learn that no one wins when the game is merely killing human beings.

One place where women could be recognized would be in our liturgies and in the religious creeds we recite. Jesus did not give us a creed to repeat. His emphasis was on compassion and healing. Reciting and meditating on the beliefs listed in the Nicene Creed may help Catholic Christians to formulate just what they are believing.

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer.

Readings and Femily for Midnight Mass at Christmas Time - YearB,2011,2015,2019,etc.

For Vigil Mass, see Matthew; for Mass at Dawn, see Luke; for Mass During the Day, see John.

Reading 1 is from Isaiah 9:1-6

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light. Upon those who dwelt in a land of gloom, light has shone. You have brought them abundant joy and great rejoicing. As they rejoice before you at the harvest, as soldiers make merry when dividing spoils; for the yoke that burdened them, the pole on their shoulder, and the rod of their taskmaster, you have smashed, as on the day of Midian. For every boot that tramped in battle, and every cloak rolled in blood, will be burned as fuel for flames; for a child is born to us, an heir is given us; and the government shall be upon their shoulder. Their name shall be called— Wonderful, Counselor, Almighty Hero, Leader Forever, Ruler of Peace. Their dominion is vast and forever peaceful. Their judgment and justice shall be confirmed and sustained both now and forever. The zeal of our God will do this.

Responsorial Psalm is #96:1-3, 11-13

Response: Today, today is born to us a savior, Jesus the Messiah.

Sing to God a new song; sing to God, all you lands;

Sing to God, and bless God’s name.

Response: Today, today is born to us a savior, Jesus the Messiah.

Announce this salvation, day after day.

Tell this story among the nations, and to all peoples.

Response: Today, today is born to us a savior, Jesus the Messiah.

Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; let the trees of the forest exult.

Let the sea and what fills it resound. Let the plains be joyful and all within them.

Response: Today, today is born to us a savior, Jesus the Messiah.

Exult, for a savior comes to rule the earth.

A savior comes to rule the earth with justice and equity.

Response: Today, today is born to us a savior, Jesus the Messiah.

Reading 2 is from Titus 2:11-14

The grace of God has appeared offering salvation to all people. This grace trains us to reject godless ways and worldly desires, and to live temperately, justly, and devoutly in this age as we await our blessed hope, the appearing of Jesus Christ in glory. It was Jesus who sacrificed himself for us to redeem us from all unrighteousness, and to make a people of his own who are eager to do what is right.

Gospel is from Luke 2:1-14

And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed. (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem (because he was of the house and lineage of David), to be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of God came upon them, and the glory of God shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, “Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward all people.”

Femily: Peace on Earth

After the birth there is still a great need for people to talk about ways to bring peace to earth. Catholic Church leadership is being confronted with many tragic situations. Perhaps this is the time to reintroduce and apply the forgiveness philosophy of Jesus to the problems of the world.

Luke 23 confirms the punishment philosophy of our justice systems. It has Pilate saying, “This man has done nothing that deserves death, so I shall have him flogged, and then let him go.” Justice systems were defective in Jesus’ time and are still quite defective today. In Jesus’ time even those who were innocent got flogged. Today the innocent may spend twenty years in prison and may even get the death penalty, even as Jesus received the death penalty.

The crisis in our church might be solved by a leadership team that can transform our present system of punishment into a system based on forgiveness and fulfillment, an evolutionary thrust as spoken of by Teilhard and Kung. This would be a secondary justice system that could be under or act beside national or state laws. We have examples of such effective systems in our county mediation groups, in the Truth and Reconciliation Tribunals in Rwanda, in Native American and Native African tribal justice, in small church fellowships that welcome back the sinner, and even in the Bible (I Corinthians 6:1-8) where accusers are advised to take their disputes to be settled by reliable members of their community. Such reliable members who could be facilitators should consist of a team of two, preferably one man and one woman.

We must not forget or ignore the victims, and today many are diligently working on the perfection of the treatment for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and various other traumas. There seems to be value in the victim being listened to, by a sympathetic audience. What can the Catholic Community do to ease the pain of the victims? Where is the place of healing, such as Lourdes, where the damaged soul can be repaired? It is not fair for the Catholic laity to pay large sums of money for settlements and lawyers because of the misdeeds of some priests and the cover-up by some bishops. Besides, money payments do not always result in forgiveness of the perpetrator by the victim. Seeing the electrocution of the person who killed someone you love, does not lift the weight from your heart. Can the Catholic Church develop a Fulfillment Program or a Forgiveness Workshop that will restore the trust of the victims?

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. Ask for special healings for those who need to forgive others.

Readings and Femily for Feast of the Holy Family - Year B: 2011,2015,2019,etc.

Reading 1 is from Sirach 3:2-6, 12-14

God sets a father in honor over his children; a mother’s authority he confirms over her sons. He who honors his father atones for sins; he stores up riches who reveres his mother. He who honors his father is gladdened by children, and when he prays, he is heard. He who reveres his father will live a long life; he obeys God who brings comfort to his mother. My son, take care of your father when he is old; grieve him not as long as he lives. Even if his mind fail, be considerate with him; revile him not in the fullness of your strength. For kindness to a father will not be forgotten, it will serve as a sin offering— it will take lasting root.

Responsorial Psalm is #128:1-5

Response: Happy are those who fear God and walk in God’s ways.

Blessed are all who fear God and walk in God’s ways.

You will eat the fruit of your labor; blessings and prosperity will be yours.

Response: Happy are those who fear God and walk in God’s ways.

Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house;

Your sons will be like olive shoots around your table.

Response: Happy are those who fear God and walk in God’s ways.

Thus is the man blessed who fears God.

May God bless you from Zion all the days of your life; may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem.

Response: Happy are those who fear God and walk in God’s ways.

Reading 2 is from Colossians 3:12-21

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of Jesus the Christ, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting before God. Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them. Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases God. Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged.

Gospel is from Luke 2:22, 39-40

When the time of their purification according to the Law of Moses had been completed, Joseph and Mary took the baby Jesus to Jerusalem to present him to God. When Joseph and Mary had done everything required by the Law, they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth. And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with Wisdom, and the Grace of God was upon him.

Femily: Families

Goldfish can form a family. How do they treat each other? Cats can form a family. How do they treat each other? Humans form families. What do we do to each other? First I would like to tell you about the wonderful world of the goldfish. One can learn a lot about human nature by watching goldfish. Goldfish and humans do  have something in common. If all this about evolution is true, we have incorporated some of the same genes. We may have improved on them in some ways, but perhaps we need to work to show signs of improvement in other ways.

The goldfish know a lot about community. They derive strength from each other. They often travel in crowds, or schools. Sometimes there will be too many to operate effectively in one large group, and you will find several schools in the same pond. Sometimes you will find a loner or two. There won’t be any obvious difference, and you don’t know if this exclusion is because of being snubbed by the group, or by choice, but one fish will hide away under the leaves and roots, and rarely venture out.

The winters here are too cold to leave the goldfish in the fish pond. If the pond were a little deeper, they might survive down in the mud. However, the freezes and thaws are too radical for their little bodies to stand. It is necessary to bring them into the house for over the winter.

This fall I had three giant fish left from the original twentyone that I had put out in the spring, but they had blessed us with many offspring. Chris and I fished them out with a swimming pool net. We counted over fifty. The little ones we put in a tank upstairs, and the three big ones went in a larger tank down in the cellar. Nine little ones slipped in with the three big ones, so I let them stay.

I was horrified to find out that every day there was one less fish in the basement tank. Could the big fish be eating the little ones!  It was all too true. When they got the number of little ones down to three, I decided it was time to act. I fished out a little one and put it in the upstairs tank. I would have taken the other two small ones upstairs, too, but they were too hard to catch. They had gained such experience in avoiding the larger fish, that they evaded me easily.

In the upstairs tank, the behavior of the one rescued little fish was positively abhorrent. He rushed at all the other fish as if his intention was to eat them. I worried desperately for the other fish, but there seemed to be no way that I could remove this man-eater, or fish-eater, and be sure that I had gotten the right one. His darting and merciless actions seemed to flow through the tank, and inspire others of the peace loving little fish to start misbehaving. The whole atmosphere of the tank was changed. Now I had two problem tanks on my hands. Should I start a third tank with the smallest fish, and see if they would turn out properly?

Or should I be like God and let them all work it out for themselves?

I thought back to the psychology of the rapist. The little child who is mistreated sexually, may well grow up into one who sexually abuses others. The oppressed group often will rise up and turn into oppressors. Why should goldfish be different? Why should one expect more of goldfish than of human beings? Perhaps the community ties of the goldfish are more bonding with more reinforcing behavior. I decided to sit back and watch.

Do you think God sits back and watches, and hopes that we will stop persecuting each other?

If you have the time, you can think about how cats treat their children and their ‘teenagers’. You can also extend your thinking to how human beings treat each other. If you really have nothing better to do, you are invited to think about human theology and how it relates to goldfish theology.

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. Ask for special healings for those who have serious physical problems.

Readings and Femily for Solemnity of Mary - Year B Jan.1,2012;2016,2020,etc.

Reading 1 is from Numbers 6:22-27

God said to Moses: “Speak to Aaron and the other priests and tell them: “This is how you shall bless the Israelites. Say to them: ‘God bless you and keep you. God let his face shine upon you and be gracious to you! God look upon you kindly and give you peace!’ So shall they invoke my name upon the Israelites, and I will bless them!”

Responsorial Psalm is #67:2-3, 5-8

Response: May God bless us with mercy.

May God have pity on us and bless us; may God’s countenance shine upon us.

So may your way be known upon earth; among all nations, your salvation.

Response: May God bless us with mercy.

May the nations be glad and exult because you rule the peoples in equity;

The nations on the earth, you guide.

Response: May God bless us with mercy.

May the peoples praise you, O God; may all the peoples praise you!

May God bless us, and may all the ends of the earth fear God!

Response: May God bless us with mercy.

Reading 2 is from Galatians 4:4-7

When the designated time had come, God sent forth a person, born of a woman, born under the law, to deliver from the law those who were subjected to it, so that we might receive our status as adopted offspring. The proof that you are offspring is that God has sent forth into our hearts the Spirit of the Messiah which cries out “Abba!” You are no longer a slave, but God’s offspring! And the fact that you are God’s offspring, makes you an heir, by God’s design.

Gospel is from Luke 2:16-21

They hurried away and found Mary and Joseph and the babe lying in a manger. When they saw the child, they repeated what had been told them about him. Everyone was astonished about what the shepherds had to say. As for Mary, she treasured all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds went back glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen.

Femily: Shepherds and Angels

Blessed are those who see and hear, and act on their hearing and seeing. Blessed are those who see that their fellow human beings are being deprived of their human rights, and are suffering because of such oppression. Blessed are those who march in peaceful protest when they see human rights denied. Suppose the shepherds had not listened to the angels? Did all the shepherds see the angels, or was there only one who had to do his (or her) best to convince the others that the night was magical and full of grace? If you had such an angelic revelation would you tell your fellow shepherds, or would you be confused and keep it to yourself? Blessed are the Marys of the world who accept the role that God gives them. Blessed are the women of the world. May we remember to honor our mothers and sisters and daughters. Help us to give equal respect to both women and men.

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer.

Readings and Femily for the Feast of Epiphany - YearB,2012,2016,2020,etc.

Reading 1 is from Isaiah 60:1-6

Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of God rises upon you. See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but God rises upon you and his glory appears over you. Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn. Lift up your eyes and look about you. All assemble and come to you; your sons come from afar, and your daughters are carried on the arm. Then you will look and be radiant, your heart will throb and swell with joy; the wealth on the seas will be brought to you; to you the riches of the nations will come. Herds of camels will cover your land, young camels of Midian and Ephah. And all from Sheba will come, bearing gold and incense and proclaiming God’s praises.

Responsorial Psalm is #72:1-2,7-8,10-13

Response: Great God, every nation on earth will adore you.

Endow the king with your justice, O God, the royal child with your righteousness.

He will judge your people in righteousness, your afflicted ones with justice.

Response: Great God, every nation on earth will adore you.

In his days justice will flourish; prosperity will abound till the moon is no more.

He will rule from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth.

Response: Great God, every nation on earth will adore you.

The kings of Tarshish and of distant shores will bring tribute; the kings of Sheba and Seba will present gifts.

All kings will bow down to him and all nations will serve him.

Response: Great God, every nation on earth will adore you.

For he will deliver the needy who cry out, the afflicted who have no one to help.

He will take pity on the weak and the needy and save the needy from death.

Response: Great God, every nation on earth will adore you.

Reading 2 is from Ephesians 3:2-6

Surely you have heard about the administration of God’s grace that was given to me for you, that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly, which was not made known to people in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God’s holy apostles and prophets. This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.

Gospel is from Matthew 2:1-12

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.” When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the Law, he asked them where the Christ was to be born. “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written: ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.’” Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and make a careful search for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.” After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.

Femily: Three Wise Persons

Our English language helps us to believe that there were three wise men that came from the east, but they didn’t have a gender word for astrologers or astronomers. The scribes who translated had to assume that the wise persons were of male gender. I met a religious sister who worked in a men’s shelter. The men at the shelter wanted to put on a skit that had to do with Epiphany. They chose Sister Clare to be one of their Wise Persons, because she was. The title of Wise Queen was a bit questionable, but Clare was able to act regally and convincingly. How do we usually treat the wise persons among us? Do we honor them? Do we bless them for helping us through our difficult times? Let’s all send them a blessing now, from our hearts—  “Blessed are the wise persons among us.” From our hearts let us remember to honor our teachers, our mentors, and our friends! The next time we see them, let us thank them for the help and inspiration they have been to us. Let us remember to thank God for sending the person Jesus Christ to live among us and teach us about compassion and forgiveness. Do we thank God for all wise people?

God has created many varieties of wise people. Just suppose that some of the wise people are homosexuals or hetero-sexuals or hermaphrodites.

We all came from the same creative urge, and most of us believe that the Creator knew what she was about, that she had a purpose. We are like apples from the same tree.

If you were a homo-sexual or a hermaphrodite and were given a prison sentence, what type of prison would you be placed in? You can tell a male inmate in the state correctional system, as they all wear green pants. Most of them also have matching green shirts, but on the top, some variety is allowed, such as red, yellow, or white shirts, or regulation underwear type T-shirts. No blue is allowed as in an emergency situation, an inmate wearing blue might be mistaken for an officer. It is sometimes necessary to know at a glance who is on what team.

I have had the pleasure of working with the incarcerated. They are usually easy to relate to, and anxious to make a success out of their return to society. However, on one of my visits, I ran across an individual who threw me off balance.

At lunch time I was eating in an area which was reserved for several of the inmates and for other volunteers like myself. One of the inmates, wearing green pants, came to my table to pick up a cup of juice from a tray, which someone else had left there. I was chagrined to notice that this inmate in this correctional institution for males, had a fully developed bosom inside his white T-shirt. Automatically, as a result of observing the bosom, I started to talk in a palsy-walsy ‘we-girls’ way. Then I checked myself, telling myself that this wasn’t a female, that I really couldn’t talk like that to a male. I found I had a mental block and couldn’t talk at all. The person didn’t seem to mind, but smiled pleasantly and went on his/her way. He/she was probably used to people like me becoming speechless.

What I learned about myself from that encounter, was that I can talk to a representation of a man or a woman, as I have been brought up to believe there are these two separate entities, but given an individual with an upper half like a woman, and a lower half like a man, I am outside reality as I perceive it.

I think for most of us, a he/she individual is something which we have never had to incorporate into our scheme of life. In this society it is easy for such an individual to pass unobtrusively. Only in the prison situation is such a person forced to expose the duality of his/her identity.

Not knowing any such person intimately, and hearing about a stranger with this problem, our first reaction might be of the Ogden Nash ‘purple cow’ type:

I never saw a purple cow.

I never hope to see one,

But this I tell you anyhow–

I’d rather see than be one.

It is hard to remember that God made this type of individual, that God loves this person, and wants his/her fulfillment. Our minds actually become warped with our human ideas of perfection and our socially conceived notions that one must be either/or. We forget the truth,– that God does not make junk. God is beyond ethnic, or personality, or sexual jokes. God is serious about what God creates. If we are to be holy like God, we are to take whatever God creates, lovingly and seriously.

For optimum effectiveness, it is necessary to be accepting of other people. We all share a common humanity; we all have problems to overcome. I find myself in awe at some of these problems, such as the problem of mental illness brought on by drug use. If a person is mentally ill, how can he be expected to use his intelligence to pull himself out of the deep pit gouged in his mind? I admire the ability of those with social and physical handicaps to exercise cheerfulness and consideration in spite of overwhelming odds.

After this particular prison encounter, I found it necessary to update my thinking on this new-to-my-consciousness sub-set of individuals. I had accepted the fact publicized in Tabloid journals that there were young men and women who seemed to be able to change their sex. Searching back in my mind, I realized that I had erroneously believed them to be persons with deviant homosexual tendencies who found it more convenient to exercise certain indecencies under a different outward appearance.

I had been told that there were two of these individuals in the particular prison where I was working. At first glance, they didn’t seem to belong in a men’s prison. If they looked like women on the outside, they should be incarcerated in a women’s prison. These two persons had been put in with women, but the experiment was unsuccessful. The authorities had to consider that the possibilities of sex between inmates in a women’s prison might result in more people becoming pregnant, than in the same situation in a men’s prison.

Some dual-sexuals are obvious at birth. The nurse or doctor who delivers, hesitates to tell the mother about her child. The family members who learn of the event, think sorrowfully, “Poor baby, crawl back into your mother’s womb.” In spite of apparent good health, the infant is not treated as gift and blessing, but as burden and deformity. We take this baby as an affront to nature, instead of seeing an interesting creation of God, a person who contains the possibilities of what is best in both man and woman. At the moment of birth, it may be evident to those attending, that a dual-sexual person has been born. However, it may not be apparent until later on in life. The person may look like a male child, and be treated as such. The dual structures of some individuals don’t become apparent until puberty. What trauma can set in then, if the individual and those who love him/her succumb to the common hang-ups of a stereotyping society! What does an apparently male person do when at puberty he suddenly starts developing breasts? What kind of turmoil can go on in the mind when a doctor confirms that you are not just a he, but also a she? Most teen-agers have trouble with adolescence. Wouldn’t such a personality experience be enough to make someone do something that might put them in prison?

I called this a personality experience, and not a personality disorder. God does not make jokes. This individual with whom I found trouble talking, was no joke. He/she was a person with unusual possibilities, a person who might be able to understand the sexualities of both men and women, a person from whom we could learn a lot about the differences between the sexes.

This type of person has a particular role to play. The realization that there are he/she persons, should make us more open to the wonders of homosexuality. Many of us who consider ourselves ‘normal’ feel that we are the elect, the favored of God. We refuse to face the fact that God created these other people with their own specific inclinations, and that what God made is good. God has his/her purposes, and we must try to keep ourselves in tune with those purposes.

What would you do if you were a teenager that had just been told you were dual-sexual, and were asked which role you would like to play in the game of life, male or female? Which restroom would you pick to use? As long as you were buxom, you would be less open to hostility, if you used the women’s room. How could you ever use the men’s shower in a public locker room? How could you use the women’s shower? Would you wear a bikini to the beach?

If surgery were suggested to you, how would you feel about having either female or male appurtenances removed from you? After all, they are a part of you. They make up what you are, and it isn’t wrong to be what you are, any more than it is wrong for a woman to be female or a man to be male. It is wrong for men to think that women are somehow less than men. It is wrong for any of us sexually different humanbeings to think that other person’s sexual preferences are immoral, because we have developed a society in which marriage between a man and a woman is considered the norm.

The notion of surgically removing breasts from dual-sexuals in order to make them seem as either male or female, can perhaps make us realize that it is equally wrong for us to demand that homosexuals give up their homosexuality. That is what they are. Their inclinations are a part of them that God has put into their personality. It might just be that if homosexuality were recognized and accepted as God-given, that homosexuals would be content to settle for one partner, rather than to practice their inclination rebelliously with many.

Our poor cultural attitude towards the homosexual is an extension of our denial of the individualistic rights of the dual-sexual. If we admit there are dual-sexed persons, their existence presents us with certain problems. The one most obvious to myself is the question of what prison to put them in, if they violate our laws. Another interesting aside is whether or not they would be acceptable as Catholic priests. Should they be encouraged to marry, and if so, to whom? To other dual-sexuals? If they have children, will their children inherit their characteristics? I am sure that all these questions have been considered carefully by those who are intimately connected with such persons.

In our thinking we treat these creatures that God in his/her wisdom made a certain way, as if they were somehow less than ourselves, and as if we knew what was best for them. This is the same mode of authority that we presume over the homosexual. We forget that God made the homosexual and his feelings, and the dual-sexual with his/her feelings, and that God gave them freedom to decide what relationship to God and to human would best fulfill them.

Free sex is not the special sin of the homosexual; it can also be the problem of the heterosexual. It is rather astounding that we can smilingly condone a male heterosexual who runs around with many women as a ‘little wild’, but quite natural; while on the other hand, we condemn the homosexual who has a monogamous relationship with a partner, as going against nature. Who are we to proclaim dogmatically on someone else’s nature? If God thought there was something wrong with homosexuals or hermaphrodites, he/she would not have made them.

“Yet wisdom is justified in all her children.” (Matthew 11:19) We must realize that many of our laws are made to assert us, the majority, as the norm. We must remember that the minorities are also made by God, and need support, to come to their fulfillment. We are not to degrade any subsections of the marvelous humanity that God has made.

There is something wrong with stereotyping of other groups who are racially different or even putting down women and elevating men, or refusing to allow women to be priests or hold important political office. The American and the Catholic poor cultural attitude towards women has also contributed to worldwide degradation of women. If the Pope announced that women were the equals of men, and appointed 50 women cardinals, the world would notice, and slowly give women more respect. If Americans voted for women as President and for Senators and Representatives, other nations might stop men from killing their sisters to maintain questionable ‘family honor’. Having people of varying sexual backgrounds and orientations is one way of reminding us that we are all children of the same God, and that we are to respect and honor one another.

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” “How can I respect all the people that God has made?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer.

Readings and Femily for The Baptism of the Lord - Year B: 2012,2016,2020,etc.

Reading 1 is from Isaiah 42:1-4, 6-7

Thus says our God: Here is my servant whom I uphold, my chosen one with whom I am pleased, upon whom I have put my spirit; she shall bring forth justice to the nations, not crying out, not shouting, not making her voice heard in the street. A bruised reed she shall not break, and a smoldering wick she shall not quench, until she establishes justice on the earth; the coastlands will wait for her teaching. I, your God, have called you for the victory of justice. I have grasped you by the hand; I formed you, and set you as a covenant of the people, a light for the nations, to open the eyes of the blind, to bring out prisoners from confinement, and from the dungeon, those who live in darkness.

Responsorial Psalm is #29:1-4, 9-11.

Response: Our Great God will bless all people with peace.

Give to God, you sons and daughters of God, give to God glory and praise,

Give to God the glory due God’s name; adore God in holy attire.

Response: Our Great God will bless all people with peace.

The voice of God is heard over the waters, our God, over vast waters.

The voice of our God is mighty; the voice of our God is majestic.

Response: Our Great God will bless all people with peace.

The God of glory thunders, and in his temple all say, “Glory!”

Our God is enthroned above the flood; our God is enthroned as ruler forever.

Response: Our Great God will bless all people with peace.

Reading 2 is from Timothy 2:11-14; 3:4-7

Beloved: The grace of God has appeared, saving all and training us to reject godless ways and worldly desires and to live temperately, justly, and devoutly in this age, as we await the blessed hope, the appearance of the glory of our  savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to deliver us from all lawlessness and to cleanse for himself a people as his own, eager to do what is good. When the kindness and generous love of God our savior appeared, not because of any righteous deeds we had done but because of his mercy, we were saved through the bath of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, who was richly poured out on us through Jesus Christ our savior, so that we might be justified by grace and become heirs in hope of eternal life.

Gospel is from Mark 1:7-11

And this was John’s message: “After me will come one more powerful than I, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I baptize you with water, but that one will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. As Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am pleased to dwell.”

Femily: Baptism of the Messiah

What is the meaning of baptism? Baptism is a sacrament, and a sacrament is an outward sign of an inward grace. Jesus’ baptism was an outward sign that the Spirit of God was pleased to dwell in the heart of Jesus. Is the Spirit of God pleased to dwell in our hearts? Is the Spirit of God pleased to dwell in the hearts of our government leaders? If our government leaders were pleasing to God, would they give health care to all? Or would they shore up the insurance companies, so that those companies could make money by denying health coverage to the chronically ill?

What about foreign affairs? If a country does not sign a U.N. environmental agreement or document, does it have the right to condemn another country who has signed that agreement? We, the people, could promote ratification of U.N. treaties by the United States. It isn’t really fair that the politicians in the United States government condemn North Korea, Iraq, and Iran for not holding to U.N. treaty requirements when the United States itself has not even signed the treaty. Let us pray that the Spirit of God will find our hearts a fine place to dwell. Let us pray that the Good Spirit will find room in the hearts of those who govern us.

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. God bless you on your journeying.

Readings and Femily for 2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year B: 2012,2016,2020,etc.

Reading 1 is from I Samuel 3:3-10, 19

The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in God’s temple, where the ark of God was. Then God called Samuel. Samuel answered, “Here I am.” And he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.” But Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.” So he went and lay down. Again God called, “Samuel!” And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.” “My son,” Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.” Now Samuel did not yet know God: The word of God had not yet been revealed to him. God called Samuel a third time, and Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.” Then Eli realized that God was calling the boy. So Eli told Samuel, “Go and lie down, and if you hear the call again, say, ‘Speak, Great God, for your servant is listening.’ So Samuel went and lay down in his place. God came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.” God was with Samuel as he grew up, and Samuel let none of God’s words fall to the ground.

Responsorial Psalm is #40:2-4, 7-9

Response: Here I am, Great God, I come to do your will.

God lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of mud and mire, and set my feet on a rock with a firm place to stand.

God put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God.

Response: Here I am, Great God, I come to do your will.

Blessed is the person who makes God their trust,

Who does not look to the proud, to those who turn aside to false gods.

Response: Here I am, Great God, I come to do your will.

I desire to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart.

I proclaim righteousness in the great assembly; I do not seal my lips, as you know, O Great God.

Response: Here I am, Great God, I come to do your will.

Reading 2 is from I Corinthians 6:13-15, 17-20

“Food for the stomach and the stomach for food” but God will destroy them both. The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit is for the body. By his power God raised Jesus Christ from the dead, and he will raise us also. Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself? Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute? Never! But he who unites himself with Jesus is one with him in spirit. Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside their body, but those who sin sexually sin against their own body. Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.

Gospel is from John 1:35-42

The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!” When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, “What do you want?” They said, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are you staying?”

“Come,” he replied, “and you will see.” So they went and saw where he was staying, and spent that day with him. It was about the tenth hour.  Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, “We have found the Messiah” (that is, the Christ). And he brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon, son of John. You will be called Cephas” (which, when translated, is Peter).

Femily: A Gap Between Rich and Poor

When the rich and poor live side by side, the rich have a tendency to oppress or imprison the poor. The gap between rich and poor is often made bigger by political maneuvers. Take the problems in Kenya. What can be done to promote peace in Kenya? What are the root causes of the Kenya debacle? In Kenya 80% of the young people are unemployed. What else have they got to do but wave their machetes out in the street? Jobs for the young people would help a lot. Have them build their own homes on their own three acres. Have them build roads. Have them put up cell phone towers. One of the root causes of unrest is a secret political document that was formulated at a previous election. The two top runners promised each other that whichever one won, he would take on the loser as his partner. When Kibaki was elected (questionably) he forgot his promise to have a partner. That was the previous election several years back. In the last election, there have also been accusations of fraud. These two elections may have been perfectly honest, and mediators must discern that, but mediators must also dig into the root causes of the social unrest. The poor need land, housing, jobs, and hope for the future. Can BBC or other TV news stations get speakers who can educate the public as to what is needed to bring peace to Kenya and the other countries of the world that are so troubled?

Considering voting by prisoners and ex-prisoners in Florida, many people involved find it to be a racial situation that was put in place by politicians after the Civil War when whites felt threatened by blacks.

Are some citizens in the United States and Europe feeling threatened by immigrants? Do they think that immigrants are taking their jobs and ruining their economies? Politicians play upon such fears, in order to increase their chances of being reelected.

Would a lot of the problems of the people in the African bush country go away if the wealthy put away their guns and had their governments put up health care centers and schools?

The Morocco delegate to the United Nations believes that the reign of wealthier states is now over. Human capital must be placed at the center of the agenda rather than corporate profits.

Help us to see the pain and the problems of the poor, instead of seeing the poor as threats who will take our resources. Help us to see the immigrant through the eyes of Jesus Christ.

The comments following are by VK. When we make our laws, it is often advisable to see what Church groups think about the problem. Most churches have an attitude of welcoming the stranger.

Quote from Pope John Paul II in Ecclesia in America Paragraph #65:—”In its history, America has experienced many immigrations, as waves of men and women came to its various regions in the hope of a better future. The phenomenon continues even today, especially with many people and families from Latin American countries who have moved to the northern parts of the continent, to the point where in some cases they constitute a substantial part of the population. They often bring with them a cultural and religious heritage which is rich in Christian elements. The Church is well aware of the problems created by this situation and is committed to spare no effort in developing her own pastoral strategy among these immigrant people, in order to help them settle in their new land and to foster a welcoming attitude among the local population, in the belief that a mutual openness will bring enrichment to all.”

What do religious communities suggest we do about this problem?

One position is given by Catholic Bishops as stated in their pastoral letter, Strangers No Longer.

* An “earned” legalization for undocumented persons in the United States, regardless of country of origin;

* A worker program that allows foreign-born workers to enter and work in the United States safely and legally

and that provides a living wage and adequate workplace protections;

* Reform of the immigration system to permit families to reunite in a timely and dignified manner;

* Restoration of due process protections lost in the 1996 immigration legislation;

* Policies addressing the root causes of migration, such as global economic inequities.

Let us not become hysterical with fear of the unknown and of other people, when we make our immigration laws. Let us make laws that are compassionate and just.

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others? How can I welcome the immigrant and make the stranger feel at home?”

Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer.

God bless you on your journeying.

Readings and Femily for 3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year B:2012,2016,2020,etc.

Reading 1 is from Jonah 3:1-5, 10

Then the word of God came to Jonah, “Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you.” Jonah obeyed the word of God and went to Nineveh. Now Nineveh was a very important city—a visit required three days. On the first day, Jonah started into the city. He proclaimed: “Forty more days and Nineveh will be overturned.” The Ninevites believed God. They declared a fast, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth. When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, God had compassion and did not bring upon them the destruction which had been threatened.

Responsorial Psalm is #25:4-9

Response: Teach me your ways, O Great God.

Make me to know your ways, O Great God; teach me your paths.

Lead me in your truth, and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all day long.

Response: Teach me your ways, O Great God.

Be mindful of your mercy, O Great God, and of your steadfast love, for they have been from of old.

Do not remember the sins of my youth; according to your steadfast love remember me, O Great God!

Response: Teach me your ways, O Great God.

Good and upright is our Great God; therefore God instructs sinners in the way.

God leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble.

Response: Teach me your ways, O Great God.

Reading 2 is from I Corinthians 7:29-31

I tell you, brothers and sisters, the time is short. From now on those with wives should live as though they had none; those who weep should live as though they were not weeping, and those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing; buyers should conduct themselves as though they owned nothing, and those who make use of the world as though they were not using it, for the world as we know it is passing away.

Gospel is from Mark 1:14-20

After John’s arrest, Jesus appeared in Galilee proclaiming God’s good news: “This is the time of fulfillment. The reign of God is at hand! Reform your lives and believe in the good news!” As he made his way along the Sea of Galilee, he observed Simon and his brother Andrew casting their nets into the sea; they were fishermen. Jesus said to them, “Come after me; I will make you fishers of men.” They immediately abandoned their nets and became his followers. Proceeding a little farther along, he caught sight of James, Zebedee’s son, and his brother John. They, too, were in their boat putting their nets in order. He summoned them on the spot. They abandoned their father Zebedee, who was in the boat with the hired men, and went off in Jesus’ company.

Femily: Not Doing Business as Usual

Peter, Andrew, James, and John left their business activity behind. They joined Jesus in proclaiming the message of God to the poor and the disabled. Did Zebedee and the servants come along too? Today we continue to do business as usual. But international organizations with a Christian bent, continue to urge members of the world community to heed the message of Jesus. These organizations are defining the vulnerable and disabled that the nations of the world have pledged to help.

There is a clarion call to businesses, corporations, political bodies, government agencies, and others holding positions of power in our world, to uphold the ethical values found in the consensus of the varied groups attending the United Nations conferences.

The Mission of the NGO (Non-Governmental Organizations) Committee for Social Development should add the words governments and corporations to its opening statement so that it will read: “Every person, every people, every nation, every corporation, every government has a part to play in building a peaceful and prosperous global society.” There is a need for NGOs and labor unions to form partnerships to work with governments and corporations to enhance the employability of the vulnerable or disabled.

Who are the vulnerable and disabled? The mentally ill, the physically handicapped, those with AIDS, women, youth, the elderly, previously confined populations (such as Palestinians and Native Americans), previously convicted persons, those still in prison, and those traumatized for reasons such as warfare and terrorism. We must not forget the internal migration of the rural impoverished going to the cities to try for jobs. All these groups need education and support systems. All these groups deserve to be treated with equality and respect.

The U.N. Conference on employability is far away from the street corners of Peru. Can you see in your mind’s eye the youth of El Salvador, the youth in the Palestinian camps, those eking out a living on the small farms of Mexico, those being released from prison in the USA, those in the Sudan being enticed by militarism, those in Kenya with no land, no work! One of the root causes for lack of work is because of an economic imbalance. So few people possess the necessary resources. How shall the corporations and the governments make work for the poor?

To enhance the possibility of these groups having their human rights respected, the General Assembly of the U.N. proposed the Global Compact as a partnership with private sector groups and appointed an Advisory Board consisting of five Global Compact members. The members of the Board – companies, nongovernmental organizations and academia are leaders in Corporate Social Responsibility policies and practices. They also have a sound understanding of the Global Compact philosophy and work to implement the Global Compacts Ten Principles in a spirit of competence, respectability and interaction without pursuing commercial interests. Such equitable globalization requires the cooperation of corporations, governments, workers, the disabled, the dysfunctional, and so forth. Responsible employers can create training facilities and view it as an investment in the fulfillment of lives of others, and thus give respect to Human Rights documents.

This statement that Human Rights are important for business is taken from Global Compact Principle 1:- “The responsibility for human rights does not rest with governments or nation states alone. Human rights issues are important both for individuals and the organizations that they create. As part of its commitment to the Global Compact, the business community has a responsibility to uphold human rights both in the workplace and more broadly within its sphere of influence. A growing moral imperative to behave responsibly is allied to the recognition that a good human rights record can support improved business performance.”

Governments and corporations often join forces and do not share their over abundance with the poor. Economic development (wealth and trade) must consider social development, the ethical values of sharing and respect for the less able (as taught by the major religions). Giant energy corporations can do much to help. In twenty years their oil will be gone. They will no longer have power on the international economic level. We must investigate the root causes of poverty such as oppression and deprivation of resources. Domestic workers are prejudiced against, not respected, not given human rights. Our earth suffers from racial and cultural prejudice, from prejudice against those in prison. With internet in our future and sustainable energy in our future, giant corporations might think about spending their surplus on education money for youth via internet, and training people in prison over internet for jobs in renewable energy. Other jobs could be provided for extensive needs across the world. Climate change is coming. One project to supply a lot of jobs is to move railroads away from sea coasts which might flood.

There is a need for dialogue among people, nations, corporations, and labor institutions on how to best serve the vulnerable. The focus of some NGOs is how to best work with the vulnerable and disabled. International Youth Foundation reports on the youth demographic bulge. For youth, family support is critical. Youth Foundation gives conflict resolution skills, teaches entrepreneurship, and promotes vocational training. One could give computer or internet courses. MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) gives free on-line courses to the poor of the world in six languages. (See web site (http://ocw.mit.edu)

In Argentina, “outmoded policies that only serve the market and its needs” are discouraged. The welfare of the poor is to be considered before corporate profits. Taking care of the aged is an important consideration of global ethics. Green Pathways is employment for an environmental way out of poverty. Youth 18-24 can benefit from micro loans. Argentina has a national network for employment services. Across the world there is a need for consensus between owners and workers. Argentina has emphasized the social responsibilities of business and has built trust among all partners.

Some of the most fragile and vulnerable people in the world are to be found in our prisons. They are often there because of poor reading skills, poor education, and joblessness leading to drug abuse. We are informed that Mobil culled a profit of $40 billion in the last quarter of 2007. Surely civil society would be improved if this windfall were used to train youth and prisoners worldwide for productive employment.

The various organizations that exercise power in our world can turn their wills to help the poor and vulnerable, to promote full employment, sharing of the world’s resources, the respect for human rights, the ethical virtues of trust between workers, labor organizations and employers.

46th Session of the Commission for Social Development February 5-14, 2008 by Cora E. Cypser of International CURE (Citizens United for the Rehabilitation of Errants) PO Box 2310, Washington  DC  20013-2310

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. God bless you on your journeying. Pray for the changes that may be necessary in your life, so that you can be a holier human being.

Readings and Femily for 4th Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year B: 2012,2016,2020,etc.

Reading 1 is from Deuteronomy 18:15-20

Our Great God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own. You must listen to them. For this is what you asked of the Great God at Horeb on the day of the assembly when you said, “Let us not hear the voice of God nor see this great fire anymore, or we will die.” The Great God said to me: “What they say is good. I will raise up for them a prophet from among the people; I will put my words in their mouth, and they will tell them everything I command. If anyone does not listen to my words that the prophet speaks in my name, I myself will call them to account. But a prophet who presumes to speak in my name anything I have not commanded them to say, or a prophet who speaks in the name of other gods, must be put to death.”

Responsorial Psalm is #95:1-2, 6-9

Response: If today you hear God’s voice, harden not your hearts.

Come, let us sing for joy to God; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.

Let us come before God with thanksgiving and extol God with music and song.

Response: If today you hear God’s voice, harden not your hearts.

Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before God our Maker;

For we are the people of God’s pasture, the flock under God’s care.

Response: If today you hear God’s voice, harden not your hearts.

Today, if you hear God’s voice, do not harden your hearts as you did at Meribah,

Or as you did that day at Massah in the desert, where your ancestors’ tested and tried me.

Response: If today you hear God’s voice, harden not your hearts.

Reading 2 is from I Corinthians 7:32-35

I would like you to be free from concern. An unmarried man is concerned about the God’s affairs—how he can please the God. But a married man is concerned about the affairs of this world—how he can please his wife— and his interests are divided. An unmarried woman or virgin is concerned about God’s affairs: Her aim is to be devoted to the God in both body and spirit. But a married woman is concerned about the affairs of this world—how she can please her husband. I am saying this for your own good, not to restrict you, but that you may live in a right way in undivided devotion to God.

Gospel is from Mark 1:21-28

They went to Capernaum, and when the Sabbath came, Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach. The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law. Just then a man in their synagogue who was possessed by an evil spirit cried out, “What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!” “Be quiet!” said Jesus sternly. “Come out of him!” The evil spirit shook the man violently and came out of him with a shriek. The people were all so amazed that they asked each other, “What is this? A new teaching—and with authority! He even gives orders to evil spirits and they obey him.” News about him spread quickly over the whole region of Galilee.

Femily: Is Torture OK?

With torture and killing and overuse of weaponry on civilian populations, we can agree that the end of time might be near at hand. Israel invaded Palestine and set up a proxy government. U.S. invaded Iraq and set up a government by oil corporations. In the 18th century, hundreds of years ago, Europeans invaded North America and set up a government which denied land rights to the Native American population. It is not surprising that in many states (Iraq, Afghanistan, Palestine) there are dissatisfied minorities protesting with weapons. It is not surprising that the opposition to invaders is put in prison by insecure government officials.

Our country went to war due to a massive hallucination and fear which spread through our nation. Rulers often believe that they know God’s will when all the people surrounding them seem to agree with them. A God who wills our fulfillment, probably does not want us to use weapons on each other.

A person is to be considered innocent of a crime, until he is proved guilty. President Bush and Vice-President Cheney both condemned the prisoners at Guantanamo Bay, before they had been proved guilty. Places like Guantanamo Bay are excessive and shouldn’t exist for anybody in any country, especially for those who are protesting against government security or unwise policies. Even guilty prisoners have Human Rights. President Bush had his Legal Advisor Gonzales redefine torture for traitors who compromised U.S. security, which broke the Geneva convention against torture to make Guantanamo Bay seem legal. Of 38 prisoners who got to be tried from Guantanamo, 30 were innocent of any charges made against them. (January 2010). They had been called “the worst of the worst” by Vice-President Cheney.

The violence perpetrated at Fort Hood exposes how soldiers are led into personality disorders. A soldier can enlist and receive a bonus and serve in the army. He can be traumatized, wounded and sent back to his home country. He is then diagnosed with pre-enlistment personality disorder and told that he owes the army thousands of dollars for accepting a pre-enlistment bonus and then not fulfilling that service. Such disservice to the veteran does nothing to help his PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). PTSD is very hard to treat.

In conclusion, war is not the answer! Bombing is not the answer! Nuclear weapons are not the answer! Prisons and torture are not the answer! Then what is the answer? The Answers:— Justice, Forgiveness, Compassion, Diplomacy, Respect for Human Rights of ALL People.

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” We might think how our own attitude increases or decreases the solidarity between men and women, between black and white, between employee and employer, between those of one nation and those of another nation. Think about the kind of person that you would really like to be. Pray for the grace to become that person.

Readings and Femily for 5th Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year B: 2012,2016,2020,etc.

Reading 1 is from Job 7:1-4, 6-7

Job spoke, saying: Is not a person’s life on earth a drudgery? Are not our days those of a hireling? We are slaves who long for the shade, hirelings who wait for wages. So I have been assigned months of misery, and troubled nights have been told off for me. If in bed, I say, “When shall I arise?” Then the night drags on; I am filled with restlessness until the dawn. My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle; they come to an end without hope. Remember that my life is like the wind; I shall not see happiness again.

Responsorial Psalm is #147:1-6

Response: Praise God who heals the brokenhearted.

Praise God for God is good; sing praises to our God, for God is gracious; it is fitting to praise God.

God rebuilds Jerusalem; God gathers the dispersed of Israel.

Response: Praise God who heals the brokenhearted.

God heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.

God tells the number of the stars, and calls each by name.

Response: Praise God who heals the brokenhearted.

Great is our God and mighty in power; to God’s wisdom there is no limit.

Our Great God sustains the lowly, and casts the wicked to the ground.

Response: Praise God who heals the brokenhearted.

Reading 2 is from I Corinthians 9:16-19, 22-23

Preaching the Gospel is not the subject of a boast; I am under compulsion and have no choice. I am ruined if I do not preach it! If I do it willingly, I have my recompense; if unwillingly, I am nonetheless entrusted with a charge. And this recompense of mine? It is simply this, that when preaching I offer the gospel free of charge and do not make full use of the authority the gospel gives me. Although I am not bound to anyone, I made myself the slave of all, so as to win over as many as possible. To the weak I became a weak person with a view to winning the weak. I have made myself all things to all people in order to save at least some of them. In fact, I do all that I do for the sake of the gospel in the hope of having a share in its blessings.

Gospel is from Mark 1:29-39

Upon leaving the synagogue, Jesus entered the house of Simon and Andrew with James and John. Simon’s mother-in-law lay ill with a fever, and the first thing they did was to tell him about her. He went over to her and grasped her hand and helped her up, and the fever left her. She immediately began to wait on them. After sunset, as evening drew on, they brought him all who were ill and those possessed by demons. Before long the whole town was gathered outside the door. Those whom he cured, who were variously affected, were many, and so were the demons he expelled. But he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him. Rising early the next morning, he went off to a lonely place in the desert; there he was absorbed in prayer. Simon and his companions managed to track him down; and when they found him, they told him, “Everybody is looking for you!” He said to them, “Let us move on to the neighboring villages, so that I may proclaim the good news there also. That is what I have come to do.” So he went into their synagogues preaching the good news and expelling demons throughout the whole of Galilee.

Femily: Proclaim the Good News!

Jesus had his message of Peace and Justice to proclaim in Galilee. Today we have an enlarged version of the Good News suitable for the whole globe. If we had the ability to expel the demons and preach good news, would we do it? How would we go about it? Would we charge the people who stopped to listen?

The United Nations has supplied us with a document called The Global Compact. The Global Compact’s ten principles in the areas of human rights, labor, the environment and anti-corruption enjoy universal consensus and were proposed on June 24, 2004. They are derived mainly from the following documents:— The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, The International Labour Organization’s Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, The Rio Declaration on Environment and Development, and The United Nations Convention Against Corruption. The Global Compact asks companies to embrace, support and enact, within their sphere of influence, a set of core values in these areas of human rights, labour standards, the environment, and anti-corruption:

PRINCIPLE ONE Businesses should support and respect the protection of internationally proclaimed human rights.

Human Rights are important for business. The responsibility for human rights does not rest with governments or nation states alone. Human rights issues are important both for individuals and the organizations that they create. As part of its commitment to the Global Compact, the business community has a responsibility to uphold human rights both in the workplace and more broadly within its sphere of influence. A growing moral imperative to behave responsibly is allied to the recognition that a good human rights record can support improved business performance.

PRINCIPLE TWO Businesses should make sure they are not complicit in human rights abuses.

PRINCIPLE THREE Businesses should uphold the freedom of association and the effective recognition of the right to collective bargaining.

PRINCIPLE FOUR Businesses should uphold the elimination of all forms of forced and compulsory labour.

PRINCIPLE FIVE Businesses should uphold the effective abolition of child labour.

PRINCIPLE SIX Businesses should uphold the elimination of discrimination in respect of employment and occupation.

PRINCIPLE SEVEN Businesses should support a precautionary approach to environmental challenges.

PRINCIPLE EIGHT Businesses should undertake initiatives to promote greater environmental responsibility.

PRINCIPLE NINE Businesses should encourage the development and diffusion of environmentally friendly technologies.

PRINCIPLE TEN Businesses should work against corruption in all its forms, including extortion and bribery.

The Good News for businesses is that if they respect the human rights of others, they will themselves prosper economically.

For Communion: Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Indweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer.

Readings and Femily for 6th Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year B: 2012,2016,2020,etc.

First Reading is from Leviticus 13:1-2, 44-46

God spoke to Moses and Aaron, “If someone has on his skin a scab or pustule or blotch which appears to be the sore of leprosy, they shall be brought to Aaron, the priest, or to one of the priests among his descendants. If the person is leprous and unclean, the priest shall declare them unclean by reason of the sore on their head. “The one who bears the sore of leprosy shall keep their garments rent and their head bare, and shall muffle their beard; they shall cry out, ‘Unclean, unclean!’ As long as the sore is on them they shall declare themselves unclean, since they are in fact unclean. They shall dwell apart, making their abode outside the camp.”

Responsorial Psalm is #32:1-2, 5, 11

Response: I turn to you, God, in time of trouble, and you fill me with the joy of salvation.

Blessed are they whose fault is taken away, whose sin is covered.

Blessed is the one to whom God imputes not guilt, in whose spirit there is no guile.

Response: I turn to you, God, in time of trouble, and you fill me with the joy of salvation.

Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity.

I said, “I will confess my transgressions to God “— and God forgave the guilt of my sin.

Response: I turn to you, God, in time of trouble, and you fill me with the joy of salvation.

Be glad in the Great God and rejoice, you just;

Exult, all you upright of heart.

Response: I turn to you, God, in time of trouble, and you fill me with the joy of salvation.

Second Reading is from 1 Corinthians 10:31—11:1

Brothers and Sisters, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God. Avoid giving offense, whether to the Jews or Greeks or the church of God, just as I try to please everyone in every way, not seeking my own benefit but that of the many, that they may be saved. Be imitators of me [Paul], as I am of Christ.

Gospel is from Mark 1:40-45

A leper came to Jesus and kneeling down begged him and said, “If you wish, you can make me clean.” Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand, touched him, and said to him, “I do will it. Be made clean.” The leprosy left him immediately, and he was made clean. Then, warning him sternly, he dismissed him at once. He said to him, “See that you tell no one anything, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses prescribed; that will be proof for them.” The man went away and began to publicize the whole matter. He spread the report abroad so that it was impossible for Jesus to enter a town openly. He remained outside in deserted places, and people kept coming to him from everywhere.

Femily: The Unclean (Using article from: The Roots of Terrorism by RJC)

How fortunate for us that we do not have Hansen’s disease, and that there is modern medicine to treat this affliction. Back in biblical times if you had a questionable pimple or mark on your skin, you were required to hide yourself and proclaim yourself UNCLEAN. What compassion Jesus must have felt for the lepers of his day. He reached out his hand to cure them. He touched the untouchables.

Do we follow the example of Jesus today? We have many who we decide are untouchable. We consign them to prison. We mutilate their characters. We ignore their offers of friendship. Jesus may feel sorrow for us that we put down others in this manner. He was willing to take on the burdens of the unwanted, the unloved, and the overworked. Remember that he said, “Come unto me, all you who labor, and I will give you rest. Take my burden upon you, and learn of me, and you will find rest for your souls.”

What do we do with our radicals, represented by various terrorist organizations?

The world is horrified by the apparently senseless killings by persons in the Near-East and Middle-East. Something must be done, but all of us seem helpless and unable to cope with this problem. Perhaps a look at the traditions that breed the present attitudes would help to elicit a plan of action.

Often those of us who come from the Judaic Christian tradition seem to feel that we are a uniquely peace loving people, as each of our groups believe they were the first to worship the one proper God and to obey that God’s directives. However, others, particularly the Muslim world, share our common roots, and all of us seem prone to interpret our beliefs from our own preferred viewpoints.

As acceptance of a mysterious first cause is one obvious human explanation for the existence of things, belief in such supernatural power occurred and was discussed wherever humanity assembled and exchanged ideas. Basic monotheism in the Near East did not spring full blown into existence with the advent of Abraham circa 1900 BC. It had already found expression in other areas around Abraham’s home town of Mari, where the human intellect was stimulated by the traders and herders who criss-crossed the Persian plains. Not only were we Johnny-come-lately in respect to belief in One Supreme Being, but our Ten Commandments were derived from other pre-existing Near East law codes. Whenever human beings gathered in community, they would put together regulations that they hoped would help to further the continuance of their community. The culture and traditions that we value so highly today are only one stream from the bubbling caldron that percolated in the Near East four thousand years ago. Not too surprisingly, other samples from this tremendous religious potpourri are still in existence and have given birth to younger faiths. Islam is one example of a more recent growth from these same older roots.

Some laws we think of as natural laws. These laws are what seem to be obviously best for the majority of those who inhabit the earth. ‘Thou shalt not kill’, is a good example of natural law. Other laws associated with this natural law, make allowances for instances of killing, when necessary, in self-defense. If someone attacks our person, we can fight back with a clear conscience. ‘A man’s home is his castle’, and if someone invades our home, or our country, we are given the right to resist this invasion.

The variant monotheistic religions of the Near East, all contain these beliefs of self defense, especially concerning property rights. Much misery has been perpetrated on humanity by an elitist notion of God-given right to property. The ‘God inspired’ right to the shrines in the Holy Land was claimed as a reason for the crusades. South Africa today is a country divided by white and black claims to the land, and both sides see God as their donor of land rights. It is difficult to put ourselves in the other person’s shoes, and admit that the God who made all human beings, might love other human beings enough to give them a share of the land. Thus, when we come to the rights of the Palestinians to their land, the Americans and the Israelis seem to find it easy to overlook all these ‘natural laws’ about self defense that accompany our common monotheistic beliefs. It seems that we feel our One God is a God only for us and for our property rights, and that this God has no concern for Palestinian property rights. Still, some of us in America have come to see that there was something wrong when the Europeans overran this continent and forced the original occupants off into a corner.

Some older philosophies seemed to say that when a robber comes to deprive us of our home, we can strike out against that robber, even to the extent of fighting against his friends or his children. If someone attacks our spouse, we can retaliate. This belief can be seen in our Bible where the Jews in claiming their ‘God-given property’ at the battle of Jericho, killed ALL the women and children, and even innocent sheep and donkeys belonging to the enemy. Most groups today consider that barbaric; but apparently there still are strong threads of that philosophy in some of the countries of today’s world. Women, children, and other innocent by-standers suffer from terrorist bombs and also from military bombing by world powers.

Like the Jews at Jericho, the Palestinians from that same cultural background condone their right to reclaim their property as best they can. All those waging uncomfortable war in Lebanon, and all those throwing bombs in airports, are full of unrest because their natural rights to live in security on their land have been taken away. These hideous acts of terrorism correspond, in their minds, to rights of self defense, and are their protest to the violence done to them by the rest of the world. The ancient ways of extremism for their liberty have been re-adopted. Their terrorist acts are rationalized with their present religious beliefs, much as we did when we drove out the American Indians. They are doing as we do repeatedly; they and we apply our nobler beliefs, that are basically the same beliefs, only when we feel that they satisfy our needs and add to our personal security.

Yet this God who is for us, is the same God that came from the pre-Abraham Near East culture, and who is also for the Palestinians. In claiming their ‘God-given property’ in this century, have the Israelis (and we their allies), shown enough concern for the children of the Palestinians who are also God’s children? Is it possible that we have a unique opportunity at this time to recognize our common spiritual heritage, and to act accordingly? Perhaps for the first time in recent history people might see beyond the hysterics, understand the root causes of  behavior, and find solutions to problems rather than reacting to symptoms. The old “eye for an eye”, knee-jerk reaction is obsolete and dangerous. The basic theme of most religions is empathy; and the first step of empathy is to seek to understand the needs from the other’s viewpoint. Only with that understanding can we hope to get at the problem.

It isn’t that we’re without resources to address the Israel-Palestine problem. Israel and America have already spent many billions of dollars every year, for many years, in futile efforts to address it, militarily. There is no end in sight for this huge waste. It’s high time that we recognized the futility of that approach and the inherent injustice that it covers. The expenditures in the next twenty years should be more wisely disbursed.

Is it not apparent, now, that we must follow the biblical injunction of Exodus 23:9 to show kindness to the stranger, and hence steer all efforts more towards equal justice, reconciliation, and reconstruction? One cannot quickly unravel decades of injustice and hatred; but it cannot be too late to shift emphasis so as to acknowledge that both sides have needs and rights, establish a climate of co-existence, and apply major resources to meet the economic needs of all parties. With America’s help, it may yet be possible to build homes and schools and a new economy for the Palestinians, as well as the Jews, and make both peoples comfortable within their mutual territory, and in adjacent territories.

Not knowing what to do with the misfits of their society, the early Hebrews built cities of refuge where these people could live (Numbers 35:13). We now need a new vision of a practical, modern version of that approach.  Instead of wasting their and our economies on the purchase of war supplies, couldn’t the Israelis of tomorrow embark on a mission to build cooperative enterprises, including permanent farms, industries, transportation, communications, and cities for the Palestinians?  It would be a vast improvement over destroying cities, such as the once beautiful Beirut. Those of us who are equally guilty with the Israelis of turning our backs on the displaced from Palestine, and who therefore share in the guilt for the current injustices, would have to commit our share. By cutting back on war supplies, we could instead ‘build the earth’.

It’s much more pleasant to cooperate with foreigners than to be eternally at war with them, and to encourage terrorism from them. If the approach is to fully understand the needs of the opponents, and to cooperate in mutually advantageous solutions, then we might be spared the sight of nineteen year olds ready to self-destruct at airports in order to kill those who they feel have deprived them of their land rights and means of economic survival.

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” We might think how our own attitude increases or decreases the solidarity between men and women, between black and white, between employee and employer, between those of one nation and those of another nation. We might imagine how we might feel if we were among the UNTOUCHABLE and EXCLUDED.

Readings and Femily for 7th Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year B: Feb.19,2012;2016,2020,etc.

Reading 1 is from Isaiah 43:18-19, 21-22, 24-25

Thus says God: Remember not the events of the past, the things of long ago consider not; see, I am doing something new! Now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? In the desert I make a way, in the wasteland, rivers. The people I formed for myself, that they might announce my praise. Yet you did not call upon me, O Jacob, for you grew weary of me, O Israel. You burdened me with your sins, and wearied me with your crimes. It is I, I, who wipe out, for my own sake, your offenses; your sins I remember no more.

Responsorial Psalm is #41:2-5, 13-14

Response: Loving Spirit, heal my soul, for I have sinned against you.

Blessed is the one who has regard for the lowly and the poor;

In the day of misfortune the Good Spirit will deliver that one.

Response: Loving Spirit, heal my soul, for I have sinned against you.

The Good Spirit will keep and preserve that one; and make that one blessed on earth;

And not give that one over to the will of an enemy.

Response: Loving Spirit, heal my soul, for I have sinned against you.

The Good Spirit will help that one through illness and will wash away all sins.

Blessed be the God of all the earth.

Response: Loving Spirit, heal my soul, for I have sinned against you.

Reading 2 is from II Corinthians 1:18-22

Brothers and Sisters: As God is faithful, our word to you is not Yes and No. For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was proclaimed to you by us, Silvanus and Timothy and me (Paul), was not Yes and No. With him it was always Yes. For however many are the promises of God, their Yes is in the Christ; therefore, the Amen from us also goes through Christ to God for glory. But the one who gives us security with you in Christ and who anointed us is God; for God has also put a seal upon us and given the Spirit in our hearts as a first installment.

Gospel is from Mark 2:1-12 in which Jesus Heals a Paralytic

A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. So many gathered that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them. Some people came, bringing to him a paralytic, carried by four of them. Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus and, after digging through it, lowered the mat the paralyzed man was lying on. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, “Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, “Why are you thinking these things? Which is easier: to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins . . . .” He said to the paralytic, “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”

Femily: The Good News

Luke 4:18 has the words of Jesus, “The Spirit of God is on me, because I have been anointed to preach good news to the poor. God has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives, sight for the blind, and release for the oppressed.” The Good News or Gospel of Jesus is that our Good God has plans for us. There will be improvements in the near future. God is ameliorating the earth. Sometimes when you ameliorate, you must tear down the old, in order to build the new. The old foundations may be too shaky, to hold up a towering new structure. You may have to destroy, before you build. The old social structures of authority and punishments must give way before restorative justice and forgiveness. God is ready both to heal the people and to forgive their misperceptions and thoughtless actions.

Have you noticed that there is a certain similarity between the Good News of Jesus and the United Nations Declaration of  Human Rights? Compare the Good News value of the following Declaration articles:—

Article XXV. No person may be deprived of his liberty except in the cases and according to the procedures established by pre-existing law. No person may be deprived of liberty for nonfulfillment of obligations of a purely civil character. Every individual who has been deprived of his liberty has the right to have the legality of his detention ascertained without delay by a court, and the right to be tried without undue delay or, otherwise, to be released. He also has the right to humane treatment during the time he is in custody. (This is the right of protection from arbitrary arrest.)

Article XXVI. Every accused person is presumed to be innocent until proved guilty. Every person accused of an offense has the right to be given an impartial and public hearing, and to be tried by courts previously established in accordance with pre-existing laws, and not to receive cruel, infamous or unusual punishment. (This is the right to due process of law.)

Article XXVII. Every person has the right, in case of pursuit not resulting from ordinary crimes, to seek and receive asylum in foreign territory, in accordance with the laws of each country and with international agreements. (This is the right of asylum.)

Article XXVIII. The rights of man are limited by the rights of others, by the security of all, and by the just demands of the general welfare and the advancement of democracy. (This is the scope of the rights of man.)

The Good News of Jesus and the Declaration of Human Rights both tear down the old ways of punishment and cruelty to fellow human beings, and bring in the way of restorative justice with forgiveness, compassion, and healing.

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” We might think how our own attitude increases or decreases the solidarity between men and women, between black and white, between employee and employer, between those of one nation and those of another nation. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. God bless you on your journeying.

Readings and Femily for First Sunday of Lent - Year B: Feb.26,2012; 2016,2020,etc.

Reading 1 is from Genesis 9:8-15

God said to Noah and to his sons: “See, I am now establishing my covenant with you and your descendants after you and with every living creature that was with you: all the birds, and the various tame and wild animals that were with you and came out of the ark. I will establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all bodily creatures be destroyed by the waters of a flood; there shall not be another flood to devastate the earth. ”God added: “This is the sign that I am giving for all ages to come, of the covenant between me and you and every living creature with you: I set my bow in the clouds to serve as a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. When I bring clouds over the earth, and the bow appears in the clouds, I will recall the covenant I have made between me and you and all living beings, so that the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all mortal beings.”

Responsorial Psalm is #25:4-9

Response: Your ways, O God, are love and truth to those who keep your covenant.

Your ways, O God, make known to me; teach me your paths.

Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God, my savior.

Response: Your ways, O God, are love and truth to those who keep your covenant.

Remember that your compassion, O God, and your love are from of old.

In your kindness remember me, because of your goodness, O God.

Response: Your ways, O God, are love and truth to those who keep your covenant.

Good and upright is God, thus he shows sinners the way.

God guides the humble to justice, and God teaches the humble God’s ways.

Response: Your ways, O God, are love and truth to those who keep your covenant.

Reading 2 is from 1 Peter 3:18-22

Beloved: Christ suffered for sins once, the righteous for the sake of the unrighteous, that he might lead you to God. Put to death in the flesh, he was brought to life in the Spirit. In it he also went to preach to the spirits in prison, who had once been disobedient while God patiently waited in the days of Noah during the building of the ark, in which a few persons, eight in all, were saved through water. This prefigured baptism, which saves you now. It is not a removal of dirt from the body but an appeal to God for a clear conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers subject to him.

Gospel is from Mark 1:12-15

The Spirit drove Jesus out into the desert, and he remained in the desert for forty days, tempted by Satan. He was among wild beasts, and the angels ministered to him. After John had been arrested, Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God: “This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.”

Femily: God Speaks

When God speaks, do we listen? How do we know if God is speaking to us?

Noah felt that God was telling him to build a boat, so Noah built a boat. Did Noah pay attention to his neighbors who may have asked derisively, “Where are you going to float that boat?”

Then there was Jesus. He battled with self-doubt in the desert, and emerged from the place of temptation to bring his message of God’s love to the world.

Did Jesus back down when his mother and brothers interrupted his ministry? When he was healing people, his own family members said that he was a little crazy. They begged him to leave the area. How alone Jesus must have felt! It is hard to follow the voice of God when your own family looses faith in you. Prophets are for stoning, not enthroning.

Today we have people who want to reform the prison system. They have seen too many innocent people thrust into prison. They have seen drug addicts and the mentally ill who need healing being placed in situations that make their conditions worse.

They have seen youth on the street corners shooting each other. Youth, women, prisoners re-entering society, all need jobs and a purpose in life. Jesus proposes the Good News of forgiveness and compassion. He advises us to share our bread with the hungry. How are the people of today to put the Good News of Jesus into practice?

One way to look at the problem is that the youth of the world languish on street corners from lack of employment, or are seduced into the military by promises of food and shelter, or are put in prison for illegalities connected with drug trafficking. On the other hand, Exxon-Mobil announced a $40 billion profit for the last quarter of year 2007. Can we make a connection between the world’s poor and the wealth of world corporations and of the OPEC nations? What can be done to rectify this imbalance between the rich and the poor?

Exxon-Mobil and OPEC should be given the opportunity to share their financial resources with their fellow human beings, lest the deprived, oppressed, and discouraged rise up in anger and destroy world civilizations. Critical historical analysis suggests that prosperity is cyclical, and that when the oil runs out in about 20 years, those who have stowed away profits from oil take-overs and military ventures, will suffer after effects for not looking after the well-being of all the people of the earth. The ethical values of the world in this respect might be summed up in the phrase, “He who has two coats, let him give one to him who has none.”

A possible solution to the problem is for proper use of wealth and resources. A proper use of wealth would be to give back to the earth, what the earth has shared of its resources. This would entail rebuilding war-ravaged countries, reclaiming the deserts, and aiding those traumatized and disabled from war-related incidents. Those nations and corporations with excess wealth could buy up acreage of land in those countries where many of the people have no land, giving three acres of land to each poor and qualifying family. Those made rich by oil and other resources could supply building materials of brick and cinder block so that those qualifying could build their own homes. They could have the poor employed in such construction work, and they could employ others of the poor and displaced in building pipe lines for pure water, energy efficient heating and cooling systems, communication systems, schools, health care facilities, roads, bridges, and other infrastructure.

God told Noah to build a boat. St. Francis heard God telling him to rebuild his church. Is God telling some people to rebuild the prison system? Is God telling everyone that it’s time to rebuild the social systems of the world?

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” We might think how our own attitude increases or decreases the solidarity between men and women, between black and white, between employee and employer, between those of one nation and those of another nation. Does the voice of the Good Spirit call to you in your daily life? Are you being asked to change societal structures?

Readings and Femily for Second Sunday of Lent - Year B: 2012,2016,2020,etc.

Reading 1 is from Genesis 22:1-2, 9-13, 15-18

God put Abraham to the test. He called to him, “Abraham!” “Here I am!” he replied. Then God said: “Take your son Isaac, your only one, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah. There you shall offer him up as a holocaust on a height that I will point out to you.” When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. Then he reached out and took the knife to slaughter his son. But God’s messenger called to him from heaven, “Abraham, Abraham!”“Here I am!” he answered.“Do not lay your hand on the boy,” said the messenger.“Do not do the least thing to him. I know now how devoted you are to God, since you did not withhold from me your own beloved son.” As Abraham looked about, he spied a ram caught by its horns in the thicket. So he went and took the ram and offered it up as a holocaust in place of his son. Again God’s messenger called to Abraham from heaven and said: “I swear by myself, declares God, that because you acted as you did in not withholding from me your beloved son, I will bless you abundantly and make your descendants as countless as the stars of the sky and the sands of the seashore; your descendants shall take possession of the gates of their enemies, and in your descendants all the nations of the earth shall find blessing—all this because you obeyed my command.”

Responsorial Psalm is #116:10, 15-19

Response: I will walk before God, in the land of the living.

I believed, even when I said,“I am greatly afflicted.”

Precious in the eyes of God is the death of the faithful ones.

Response: I will walk before God, in the land of the living.

O God, I am your servant; I am your servant, the child of your handmaid; you have loosed my bonds.

To you will I offer sacrifice of thanksgiving, and I will call upon the name of God.

Response: I will walk before God, in the land of the living.

My vows to God I will pay in the presence of all God’s people,

In the courts of the house of God, in your midst, O Jerusalem.

Response: I will walk before God, in the land of the living.

Reading 2 is from Romans 8:31b-34

Brothers and sisters: If God is for us, who can be against us? The One who did not spare their own Son but handed him over for us all, how will God not also give us everything else? Who will bring a charge against God’s chosen ones? It is God who acquits us; who will condemn? Christ Jesus it is who died—or, rather, was raised— who also is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us.

Gospel is from Mark 9:2-10

Jesus took Peter, James, and John and led them up a high mountain apart by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his clothes became dazzling white, such as no fuller on earth could bleach them. Then Elijah appeared to them along with Moses, and they were conversing with Jesus. Then Peter said to Jesus in reply, “Rabbi, it is good that we are here! Let us make three tents: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” He hardly knew what to say, they were so terrified. Then a cloud came, casting a shadow over them; from the cloud came a voice, “This is my beloved Son. Listen to him.” Suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyone but Jesus alone with them. As they were coming down from the mountain, he charged them not to relate what they had seen to anyone, except when the Son of Man had risen from the dead. So they kept the matter to themselves, questioning what rising from the dead meant.

Femily: Transformations

We need more transformations. We need personal transformations, community transformations, and worldwide transformations. We need economic transformations, political transformations, and moral transformations. When we think about moral and ethical transformations, we find them so startling that we might call them transfigurations. On the mountain top, Jesus gave his disciples some new thought on religious values and where a human being might look for the Infinite God. In the eyes of the disciples, Jesus was transformed. They saw him in a new way. Moses and Elias were also brought into the hearts of the little group. Every now and then, we of a later time, are given transformative moments:– we are privileged to see the wisdom in what another says; someone gives us an overwhelming dose of care and concern that helps us over pain and anguish; we are invited to be miracles for each other, to supply another’s need, to transform sadness into joy. Can we do it? Can we be the Spirit of Jesus for each other? Coming down to earth, what transformations can we conjure up? Some of us may be very happy with the world the way it is. We have three meals a day, a warm shower in the morning, a cozy bed at night,— what more could one want? Others have none of those things and live in refugee camps. Some of them have been forced out of their homes by young lads carrying weapons. How can we help the homeless and hungry? How can we reduce the number of horrendous weapons?

The International Labor Organization had some suggestions:— “Only when we put people at the centre of everything we do, will we enable men and women in cities and villages around the world to make their lives better. Only then will we know that globalization is becoming inclusive, allowing everyone to share its opportunities. The work of the International Labor Organization on the social dimensions of globalization can play an important part in advancing that inclusive objective. In any development strategy aimed at spreading the benefits of globalization, employment must be a central goal. Freely chosen, productive employment, in conditions of human dignity and decency, is the very foundation on which social stability rests. Such social stability requires us to work in partnerships. No country, and no single actor, can take on these challenges alone. Governments cannot do it without business; and business cannot do it without labour and civil society at large; partnerships between public and private, between non-governmental and inter-governmental, between local and global. Global Agenda for Employment calls for an alliance of the United Nations, the specialized agencies, the Bretton Woods Institutions, national policymakers, employers and trade unions. It rightly defines this approach as the only way to achieve one of our most central development goals: putting jobs at the centre of economic and social policies, in order to create more opportunities and decent work for all.”

Does this put the problem of transforming the world off our shoulders and onto the shoulders of governments and trade unions? We have seen how power hungry leaders can mess things up. We might go back to the scene on the mountaintop with Moses, Elias, and Jesus, and last and least the disciples led by Peter. Moses represents the law, Elias represents the prophetic viewpoint, and Jesus is the messenger of compassionate forgiveness. When Peter suggests building three tabernacles, what is God’s response? The response is that we are to listen to the message Jesus brings.

Further background on the message of Jesus is that threads of worship came out of Egypt with the polyglot refugees who followed Moses and Aaron. The Samaritans contributed other Pentateuchal material from their ancestor Jacob. The name of Jesus (Yeshua) comes from the Hindu God Shiva. Jesus’ teachings reflect the compassion of Buddha. One religious group can inspire another group of people to come closer to God’s dream for humanity.

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” We might think how our own attitude increases or decreases the solidarity between men and women, between black and white, between employee and employer, between those of one nation and those of another nation.

Readings and Femily for Third Sunday of Lent - Year B: 2012,2016,2020,etc.

Reading 1 is from Exodus 20:1-17

In those days, God delivered all these commandments: “I am your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, that place of slavery. You shall not have other gods besides me. You shall not carve idols for yourselves in the shape of anything in the sky above or on the earth below or in the waters beneath the earth; you shall not bow down before them or worship them. For I, your God, am a jealous God, inflicting punishment for their fathers’ wickedness on the children of those who hate me, down to the third and fourth generation; but bestowing mercy down to the thousandth generation on the children of those who love me and keep my commandments. You shall not take the name of your God, in vain. For God will not leave unpunished the one who takes God’s name in vain. Remember to keep holy the Sabbath day. Six days you may labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of your God. No work may be done then either by you, or your son or daughter, or your male or female slave, or your beast, or by the alien who lives with you. In six days God made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them; but on the seventh day God rested. That is why God has blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. Honor your father and your mother, that you may have a long life in the land which your God is giving you. You shall not kill. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor their male or female slave, nor their ox or ass, nor anything else that belongs to them.”

Responsorial Psalm is #19:8-11

Response (John 6:68): Master, you have the words of everlasting life.

The law of God is perfect, refreshing the soul;

The decrees of God are trustworthy, giving wisdom to the simple.

Response: Master, you have the words of everlasting life.

The precepts of God are right, rejoicing the heart;

The command of God is clear, enlightening the eye.

Response: Master, you have the words of everlasting life.

The fear of God is pure, enduring forever;

The ordinances of God are true, all of them just.

Response: Master, you have the words of everlasting life.

They are more precious than gold, than a heap of purest gold;

Sweeter also than syrup or honey from the comb.

Response: Master, you have the words of everlasting life.

Reading 2 is from I Corinthians 1:22-25

Brothers and sisters: Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those who are called, Jews and Greeks alike, Christ the power of God and the Wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.

Gospel is from John 2:13-25

Since the Passover of the Jews was near, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. He found in the temple area those who sold oxen, sheep, and doves, as well as the money changers seated there. He made a whip out of cords and drove them all out of the temple area, with the sheep and oxen, and spilled the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables, and to those who sold doves he said, “Take these out of here, and stop making my Father’s house a marketplace.” His disciples recalled the words of Scripture, Zeal for your house will consume me. At this the Jews answered and said to him, “What sign can you show us for doing this?” Jesus answered and said to them, “Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up.” The Jews said, “This temple has been under construction for forty-six years, and you will raise it up in three days?” But he was speaking about the temple of his body. Therefore, when he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they came to believe the Scripture and the word Jesus had spoken. While he was in Jerusalem for the feast of Passover, many began to believe in his name when they saw the signs he was doing. But Jesus would not trust himself to them because he knew them all, and did not need anyone to testify about human nature. He himself understood it well.

Femily: Commandments

In the first reading God delivers the commandments to the Israelites. There are suppositions abroad that being ruled by wise laws is more important for healthy community than acting out of love. There is the belief that the power of law has priority over the rule of love. Can laws save the world?  Do we need a combination of laws and love to have optimum government?

There is a myth of law as being more important than love. It is a myth followed by most of world leaders and rulers. Somehow people in power feel that laws will save the world. One notable exception to these beliefs is the philosophy of Jesus. Jesus accepted diminishment— suffering, denial, death, rather than retreat from from his message of personal salvation through empathy and love.

One of the reasons that laws don’t always work is that they are usually made up by people in power to control the people who are not in power. In order to make good laws, you must consider how the laws you are proposing, will affect your neighbor. Laws cannot save the world unless they are agreed to by all the people of the world. It is very difficult to get all the people of the world to agree on anything.

Laws frequently are associated with discipline. If a person gets involved in uncontrolled negative emotions such as anger and jealousy, there will be a price to pay. The United Nations discusses how regulations will affect their member states and the various populations. It has come up with a Human Rights Document to describe how people should treat and respect other people.

How about Jesus’ message of love? The Israelis in the desert were given laws to obey, but Jesus claimed that the law of love contained all the other laws. If people truly acted out of love, our relationships would go smoothly. If governments had true concern for their people, they wouldn’t need prisons and refugee camps. What our governments of today need is education on how to treat their citizens with kindness, and how to respect their citizens’ human rights. They must educate the people on what rights they possess, and on how to respect the rights of others.

As long as Jesus proclaimed his message and didn’t back down from his stand against violence, many people who listened to him were ready to try his non-violent way. Jesus attempted to educate his followers, and through them, the world, on the wisdom of kindness and caring for others.

The process of learning goes on, and we will be participants in that process through our willful decisions. What is worth more than the preservation of life is for each to be a willful participant in the process of educating humanity about its capability to love.

We say that self-defense is OK, that the end often justifies the means. Some say abortion is self-defense. Look at crime. The criminal justifies his actions in terms of what he/she thinks is the greater good. Thus we have laws, so that the judgment of the community will help the individual arrive at an optimum path.

The Commandment of Love is above the rules and regulations of the Ten Commandments and the Laws of the Church. If a person’s informed conscience tells him that women are equal to men in a human rights context, that person should question whether women have a right and a responsibility to become the people who are to lead other people into the Way, Truth, and Life of the Message of Jesus.

Jesus said about the people who are inspired to follow Jesus’ message of love,- “Even though you die, you shall live forever!” The compassion that a person spreads around grows and lives forever, while what is poisonous, fades away like the morning dew.

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. God bless you on your journeying.

Readings and Femily for Fourth Sunday of Lent - Year B: 2012,2016,2020,etc.

Reading 1 is from II Chronicles 36:14-16, 19-23

In those days, all the princes of Judah, the priests, and the people added infidelity to infidelity, practicing all the abominations of the nations and polluting God’s temple which he had consecrated in Jerusalem. Early and often did the God of their fathers, send messengers to them, for God had compassion on the people and God’s dwelling place. But the people mocked the messengers of God, despised the warnings, and scoffed at God’s prophets, until the anger of God against the people was so inflamed that there was no remedy. Their enemies burnt the house of God, tore down the walls of Jerusalem, set all its palaces afire, and destroyed all its precious objects. Those who escaped the sword were carried captive to Babylon, where they became servants of the king of the Chaldeans and his sons until the kingdom of the Persians came to power. All this was to fulfill the word of God spoken by Jeremiah: “Until the land has retrieved its lost Sabbaths, during all the time it lies waste it shall have rest while seventy years are fulfilled.” In the first year of Cyrus, king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of God spoken by Jeremiah, God inspired King Cyrus of Persia to issue this proclamation throughout his kingdom, both by word of mouth and in writing: “Thus says Cyrus, king of Persia: All the kingdoms of the earth the God of heaven, has given to me, and God has also charged me to build a place of worship in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Whoever, therefore, among you belongs to any part of God’s people, let them go up, and may their God be with them!”

Responsorial Psalm is #137:1-6

Response: Let my tongue be silenced, if I ever forget you!

By the streams of Babylon we sat and wept when we remembered Zion.

On the aspens of that land we hung up our harps.

Response: Let my tongue be silenced, if I ever forget you!

For there our captors asked of us the lyrics of our songs,

And our despoilers urged us to be joyous: “Sing for us the songs of Zion!”

Response: Let my tongue be silenced, if I ever forget you!

How could we sing a song of our God in a foreign land?

If I forget you, Jerusalem, may my right hand be forgotten!

Response: Let my tongue be silenced, if I ever forget you!

May my tongue cleave to my palate if I remember you not,

If I place not Jerusalem ahead of my chief joy.

Response: Let my tongue be silenced, if I ever forget you!

Reading 2 is from Ephesians 2:4-10

Brothers and sisters: God, who is rich in mercy, because of the great love God has for us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, brought us to life with Christ— (by grace you have been saved) —raised us up with Christ, and seated us in the heavens with Christ, that in the ages to come God might show the immeasurable riches of  grace and kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not from you; it is the gift of God. It is not from works, so no one may boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus for the good works that God has prepared in advance, that we should live in them.

Gospel is from John 3:14-21

Jesus said to Nicodemus: “Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life. For God so loved the world that God gave God’s only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. For God did not send this Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him will not be condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because they have not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the verdict, that the light came into the world, but people preferred darkness to light, because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come toward the light, so that his works might not be exposed. But whoever lives the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God.”

Femily: Abortion

In a truly noble desire to serve Jesus Christ, follow his message, and walk in his way, some people have concluded that women are at fault when it comes to abortion. Yet every abortion is fathered by a male, and these fathers of the unborn do not go to abortion clinics to have fetuses removed from their innards. If all men were more responsible with their ability to father children, there would be more opportunity for birthing the Spirit of God throughout the earth. The message of Jesus is that we should have compassion for one another, for the AIDs victims, for the unborn, for the mothers of the unborn, for the starving, for those who harm others, and for those who make war. Is it a dangerous thought to believe that if we were kinder to women, there would be fewer abortions? Should any thoughts be considered dangerous? Can we apply the same manner of thinking to contraceptives? Do contraceptives often allow the birthing of God in a family situation (while preventing the birthing of another human)? Can this type of thinking apply to abortion? Does an abortion ever contribute to greater love and empathy? Does the end (greater love and empathy) ever justify the means (abortion, celibacy, homosexuality)? Which is better, to overpopulate the earth so that millions die of starvation, or to use abortion, so that thousands die now? We must use our minds now in order to continue the positive evolutionary thrust towards maximum love and empathy. It is important to have an informed conscience, and to disagree with ‘authorities’ when necessary. For example, electrical power ‘authorities’ are ready to build nuclear power plants on earthquake fault lines if uninformed citizens fund them.

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly?” Pray for the unborn and for the mothers and the fathers of the unborn. Pray that the people of the earth will better understand sexuality and celibacy. Ask for the help you need for yourself, by sincere prayer. God bless you on your journeying.

Readings and Femily for Fifth Sunday of Lent - Year B: 2012,2016,2020,etc.

Reading 1 is from Jeremiah 31:31-34

The days are coming, says the Loving God, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their ancestors the day I took them by the hand to lead them forth from the land of Egypt; for they broke my covenant, and I had to show myself their master, says the Loving God. But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says God. I will place my law within them and write it upon their hearts; I will be their God, and they shall be my people. No longer will they have need to teach their friends and relatives how to know God. All, from least to greatest, shall know me, says God, for I will forgive their evildoing and remember their sin no more.

Responsorial Psalm is #51:3-4, 12-15

Response: Create a clean heart in me, O God.

Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness; in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense.

Thoroughly wash me from my guilt and of my sin cleanse me.

Response: Create a clean heart in me, O God.

A clean heart create for me, O God, and a steadfast spirit renew within me.

Cast me not out from your presence, and your Holy Spirit take not from me.

Response: Create a clean heart in me, O God.

Give me back the joy of your salvation, and a willing spirit sustain in me.

I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners shall return to you.

Response: Create a clean heart in me, O God.

Reading 2 is from Hebrews 5:7-9

In the days when Christ Jesus was in the flesh, he offered prayers and supplications with loud cries and tears to the one who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered; and when he was made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him.

Gospel is from John 12:20-33

Some Greeks who had come to worship at the Passover Feast came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee,

and asked him, “Sir, we would like to see Jesus.” Philip went and told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Amen, Amen. I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will preserve it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there also will my servant be. The Father will honor whoever serves me. “I am troubled now. Yet what should I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But it was for this purpose that I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it and will glorify it again.” The crowd there heard it and said it was thunder; but others said, “An angel has spoken to him.” Jesus answered and said, “This voice did not come for my sake but for yours. Now is the time of judgment on this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven out. And when I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to myself.” He said this indicating the kind of death he would die.

Femily: Coping with Distress

How do we control our feelings when faced with sorrow and parting, or when we enter into economic distress? Do we feel that God has forsaken us? Do we listen for the voice from heaven saying, “I have glorified my name, and I will glorify it again.” Some hear God speaking in a still small voice; others say the voice thunders. Sometimes when we listen to the Gospel, the Good News of Jesus, we feel that the Message we hear is made especially for us. Jesus says the bad rulers will be cast out. If bad economic systems are ruling the world, they will be driven away. God will make a new and just covenant with the people of the earth. They will share the goods of the earth with one another. They will not make war anymore, or rain down bombs on helpless populations. God will forgive their sins and forget their evil deeds. The disciples of Jesus, when faced with parting, remembered Jesus’ message, and founded loving communities. They sought to establish a covenant under God’s love, with all the peoples of the earth. Today we still have the opportunity to work on building these covenantal communites.

Are Americans willing to attempt the building of loving communities for the oppressed, the poor, and the formerly incarcerated? These communities would keep public safety and restorative justice in mind. They would be a step-down from the heavy security and punishment philosophy found in the average prison in the world. They would implement the written policy of the Correctional Service of Canada: “The greatest protection that can be offered to the community is to assist offenders, throughout the sentence, to change their criminal behavior and to help them learn to live by the rules of society. This preparation includes programming to meet specific needs and providing opportunities to demonstrate progress through transfers to reduced security or conditional release, including temporary absences, work release, or statutory release.”

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly?” Pray for those who have spent long years in prison because of a mistake they made in their youth, or because they got drunk and didn’t know what they were doing. Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. God bless you on your journeying.

Readings and Femily for Palm Sunday - Year B: 2012,2016,2020,etc.

In many churches, the Passion is read, and some of the Readings can be omitted. Below you will find that I have substituted Isaiah 50:4-7 with Zechariah 9:9-10, so that you can see the Old Testament quote to which the Gospels are referring.

Reading 1 is from Zechariah 9:9-10

Rejoice heart and soul, daughter of Zion! Shout with gladness, daughter of Jerusalem! See now, your ruler comes to you; victorious, triumphant, humble and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. This ruler will banish chariots from Ephraim and horses from Jerusalem; the bow of war will be banished. This ruler will proclaim peace for the nations, and that this peaceful empire shall stretch from sea to sea, from the River to the ends of the earth.

Responsorial Psalm is #22:8-9, 17-24.

Response: My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?

All who see me scoff at me; they mock me with parted lips, they wag their heads:

“He relied on God; let God deliver him and rescue him, if God loves him.”

Response: My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?

Indeed, many dogs surround me, a pack of evildoers closes in upon me;

They have pierced my hands and my feet; I can count all my bones.

Response: My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?

They divide my garments among them, and for my vesture they cast lots.

But you, O God, be not far from me; O my help, hasten to aid me.

Response: My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?

I will proclaim your name to my brethren; in the midst of the assembly I will praise you:

“You who fear God, praise God; all you descendants of Jacob, give glory to God.”

Response: My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?

Reading 2 is from Philippians 2:6-11

Your attitude must be Christ’s: though he was in the form of God he did not deem equality with God something to be grasped at. Rather, he emptied himself and took the form of a slave, being born in the likeness of humanity. He was known to be of human estate, and it was thus that he humbled himself, obediently accepting death, even death on a cross!

Gospel Readings: Gospel of Matthew 21:1-11 or Gospel of Mark 11:1-10 or Gospel of John 12:12-15.

Three different Palm Sunday readings are given here, so that you will be able to make comparitisons.

Gospel of Matthew 21:1-11

When they were near Jerusalem and had come in sight of Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples saying to them, “Go to the village facing you, and you will immediately find a tethered donkey and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, you are to say, ‘The Master needs them and will send them back directly.’” This took place to fulfill the prophecy: Say to the daughter of Zion: Look, your king comes to you: he is humble, he rides on a donkey and on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden. So the disciples went out and did as Jesus had told them. They brought the donkey and the colt, then they laid their cloaks on their backs, and he sat on them. Great crowds of people spread their cloaks on the road, while others were cutting branches from the trees and spreading them in his path. The crowds that went in front of him and those who followed were all shouting: Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessings on him who comes in the name of God. Hosanna in the highest heavens! And when he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was in turmoil. “Who is this?” the people asked, and the crowds answered, “This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee.”

Gospel of Mark 11:1-10

When Jesus and his disciples drew near to Jerusalem, to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples and said to them, “Go into the village opposite you, and immediately on entering it, you will find a colt tethered on which no one has ever sat. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone should say to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ reply, ‘The Master has need of it and will send it back here at once.’ “So they went off and found a colt tethered at a gate outside on the street, and they untied it. Some of the bystanders said to them, “What are you doing, untying the colt?” They answered them just as Jesus had told them to, and they permitted them to do it. So they brought the colt to Jesus and put their cloaks over it, and he sat on it. Many people spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches that they had cut from the fields. Those preceding him as well as those following kept crying out: “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of God! Blessed is the kingdom of our father David that is to come! Hosanna in the highest!”

Gospel of John 12:12-15

When the great crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, they took palm branches and went out to meet him, and cried out: “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of God, the king of Israel.” Jesus found an ass and sat upon it, as is written: Fear no more, O daughter Zion; see, your king comes, seated upon the colt of a donkey. His disciples did not understand this at first, but when Jesus had been glorified they remembered that these things were written about him and that they had done this for him.

Femily: On Donkeys

Jesus sent two of his disciples to procure a donkey, or perhaps two donkeys. I suspect that since no names are mentioned, the two disciples were Mary Magdalene and Joanna. It might be beneath the male disciples to go and beg for a donkey. This wasn’t just one donkey; it was a very special donkey. It had to conform to the specifications of the reading in Zechariah 9; it had to be a young colt. Perhaps the colt was too young to be taken from its mother. Did the disciples cast their coats on both donkeys? Did Jesus ride them both? Who had the job of leading the donkey, or the donkey’s mother? The young colt was doubtless willing to follow its mother, but the mother wouldn’t know where she was supposed to go, unless someone held her tether and guided her. Was there some spiritual significance to this donkey riding? Could we compare the mother donkey to the Jewish faith, and the foal as the new direction that Jesus was taking, in transforming the authoritative Jewish God into the compassionate God of the New Testament message? When one rides to the seat of power on a donkey, we can believe that person is humble. President Obama also rode to power on the donkey of the Democrats.

The Responsorial Psalm laments, “God, why have you abandoned me? Why have you allowed me to be numbered among the offenders?” Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane to be released from this agony, and he does not run away. We are all offenders, and we must try to follow the example of Jesus and not run away from our responsibilities. Jesus trusts that if his physical self (or the temple of his body) is destroyed, that in three days, a spiritual temple will be raised up, which spiritual temple will aid the whole earth in coming closer to God’s loving spirit. At the Mass when we consume the bread and wine, we demolish the physical, and we welcome the spiritual by taking the compassionate message of Jesus into our hearts.

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. God bless you on your journeying.

Readings and Femily for Easter - Year B: 2012,2016,2020,etc.

See Matthew for Vigil Mass, Morning Mass for Mark, Evening Mass Luke, John for Mass Early in the Day

Reading 1 is from Acts 10:34,37-43

Peter proceeded to speak and said: “You know what has happened all over Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached, how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power. He went about doing good and healing all those oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. We are witnesses of all that he did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree. This man God raised on the third day and granted that he be visible, not to all the people, but to us, the witnesses chosen by God in advance, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. He commissioned us to preach to the people and testify that he is the one appointed by God as judge of the living and the dead. To him all the prophets bear witness, that everyone who believes in him will receive forgiveness of sins through his name.”

Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 118:1-2, 16-17, 22-24

Response: This is the day our God has made; let us rejoice and be glad.

Give thanks to the Loving God, for God is good, and God’s mercy endures forever.

Let the house of Israel say, “God’s mercy endures forever.”

Response: This is the day our God has made; let us rejoice and be glad.

“The right hand of God has struck with power; the right hand of God is exalted.

I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of God.”

Response: This is the day our God has made; let us rejoice and be glad.

The stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.

By our God has this been done; it is wonderful in our eyes.

Response: This is the day our God has made; let us rejoice and be glad.

Reading 2 is from Colossians 3:1-4

Brothers and sisters: If then you were raised with Christ, seek what is above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Think of what is above, not of what is on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, your life, appears, then you too will appear with him in glory.

Gospel is from Mark 16:1-8

When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him. And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun. And they said among themselves, “Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre?” And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away: for it was very great. And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young person sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment; and they were affrighted. And he saith unto them, “Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him. But go your way, tell his disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee: there shall ye see him, as he said unto you.” And they went out quickly, and fled from the sepulchre; for they trembled and were amazed: neither said they any thing to anyone; for they were afraid.

Femily: Rising from Death

Jesus was both a physical body and a spiritual body. Each of us has a physical body and a spiritual body. While we are alive, we can turn our minds to loving and compassionate thoughts about others, and we can use our physical bodies to be kind to others and to help them. In the Gospel of John Chapter 14:6-30, Jesus says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.” In this quote is Jesus talking about his physical body or his spiritual body? Jesus may very well have left his physical body some place on earth, and taken his spiritual self to a heavenly place where he will welcome those who have heard and acted on his message.

Think about daffodils. Last spring the daffodils came up in my garden, full of daffodil life. They died back, in the summertime, and were all gone in the fall. But this spring, they returned to bloom again. When Jesus promises to return, does he mean that the root or bulb of his message of love, will exist hidden in the ground, but burst forth in the existence to come?

Even so, come again, Jesus! Rise up in our hearts.

There is a claim that the physical body of Jesus was finally laid to rest in the Talpiot section of Jerusalem. Let us think calmly about Talpiot philosophy. After the crucifixion, the body of Jesus was placed in a temporary tomb, but then he somehow rose from the dead, and spoke to Mary Magdalene in the garden. Was it Jesus’ soul or Jesus’ body that rose from the dead? It was reported that Mary Magdalene thought he was the gardener. Could the Spirit of Jesus speak to Mary Magdalene from the mouth of a gardener?

Further east in the Ghenghis Khan culture, when a person died you did not use the word ‘die’. You phrased it as “the person rose up to heaven.” Could the earlier Palestinian culture have used the same phrases?

Whatever we mean when we say, “Jesus rose from the dead,” we usually believe that his spiritual being returned to God. Jesus’ followers felt his spiritual presence, and they tried to put into words and actions their belief that Jesus was still with them. Members of protestant faiths speak of Jesus as present in their lives. Catholics speak of Eucharist as bringing Jesus within those worshiping. Wherever the physical body of Jesus ended up, those who listen to his message admit that his spiritual presence is somehow with them. The final resting place of the Spirit of Jesus is in our hearts (if we will let him in).

Archaeologists uncovered a tomb in the Talpiot section of Jerusalem and made the claim that the writing on the bone boxes contained names similar to those mentioned in the Gospels. If the bones of Jesus were really in one of those boxes, does that mean that our faith has been in vain? Our faith depends more on the spiritual dwelling of Jesus in our hearts, than on the remains of his physical body. The Resurrection and the Ascension can be interpreted to be something that took place with the Spirit of Jesus and do not require that his physical body is located in heaven.

If we really are uncomfortable with physical remains, we can be glad that his genetic structure may possibly be revealed to us from the archaeological investigation.

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Indweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. God bless you on your journeying.

Readings and Femily for Second Sunday of Easter - Year B: 2012,2016,2020,etc.

Reading 1 is from Acts 4:32-35

The community of believers was of one heart and mind, and no one claimed that any of his possessions were his own, but they had everything in common. With great power the apostles bore witness to the resurrection of  Jesus, and great favor was accorded them all. There was no needy person among them, for those who owned property or houses would sell them, bring the proceeds of the sale, and put them at the feet of the apostles, and they were distributed to each according to need.

Responsorial Psalm is #118:2-4, 13-15, 22-24

Response: Give thanks to God, for God is good; God’s love is everlasting.

Let the house of Israel say, “God’s mercy endures forever.”

Let the house of Aaron say, “God’s mercy endures forever.”

Response: Give thanks to God, for God is good; God’s love is everlasting.

I was hard pressed and was falling, but God helped me.

My strength and my courage is from God, and God has been my savior;

Response: Give thanks to God, for God is good. God’s love is everlasting.

The stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.

By our God has this been done; it is wonderful in our eyes.

Response: Give thanks to God, for God is good. God’s love is everlasting.

Reading 2 is from I John 5:1-6

Beloved: Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is begotten by God, and everyone who loves the Father loves also the one begotten. In this way we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey God’s commandments. For the love of God is this, that we keep God’s commandments. And God’s commandments are not burdensome, for whoever is begotten by God conquers the world. And the victory that conquers the world is our faith. Who indeed is the victor over the world but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? This is the one who came through water and blood, Jesus Christ, not by water alone, but by water and blood. The Spirit is the one that testifies, and the Spirit is truth.

Gospel is from John 20:19-31

On the evening of that first day of the week, when the doors were locked, where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples rejoiced when they saw their Master. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.” Thomas, called Didymus, one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples said to Thomas, “We have seen the Master.” But he said to them, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger into the nailmarks and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” Now a week later his disciples were again inside and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, although the doors were locked, and stood in their midst and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe.” Thomas answered and said to him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.” Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples that are not written in this book. But these are written that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that through this belief you may have life in his name.

Femily: Believe!

Believe that you may have life, and give a fuller life to others! We are given a choice: we can believe that the compassion of Jesus has outlasted his death, or we can say with Thomas, “I will not believe until I have actual physical proof.” We can lay our hands on those who are ill or traumatized, and because Jesus healed the sick, we, too, can believe that the sick we care for, will be healed.

When Jesus healed some sick people, the Pharisees complained, “He casts out the devils by the Prince of Devils.” If we follow the methods of Jesus today, and lay our hands on the sick for the purpose of healing them, others who are in authority may say, “They are believing in magic, and not believing in God.”

But you, yourself, in your inmost heart know whether you are believing in magic, or hoping that God will heal the person you love.

As the Father sent Jesus to heal, Jesus sends us out to others, to heal, and to form loving community. Loving Jesus, help us to help those who need help, in our communities and in our world.

Teilhard de Chardin was a French Jesuit priest-scientist who died in 1955. He believed in building the loving community of Jesus and in developing a fuller life for all. After serving as a stretcher bearer in World War I, he was firmly committed to non-violence. I quote Teilhard here, “We have reached a crossroads in human evolution where the only road which leads forward is towards a common passion … To continue to place our hopes in a social order achieved by external violence would simply amount to our giving up all hope of carrying the Spirit of the Earth to its limits.”

The next quote is from Anodea Judith:— “To this end, Teilhard suggested that the Earth in its evolutionary unfolding, was growing a new organ of consciousness, called the noosphere. The noosphere is analogous on a planetary level to the evolution of the cerebral cortex in humans. The noosphere is a “planetary thinking network”, an interlinked system of consciousness and information, a global net of self-awareness, instantaneous feedback, and planetary communication. At the time of Teilhard’s writing, computers of any merit were the size of a city block, and the Internet was, if anything, an element of speculative science fiction. Yet this evolution is indeed coming to pass, and with a rapidity, that in Gaia time, is but a mere passage of seconds. In these precious moments, the planet is developing her cerebral cortex, and emerging into self-conscious awakening. We are indeed approaching the Omega point that Teilhard de Chardin was so excited about.”

“This convergence however, though it was predicted to occur through a global information network, was not a convergence of merely minds or bodies — but of heart, a point that Teilhard made most fervently, ‘It is not our heads or our bodies which we must bring together, but our hearts … Humanity … is building its composite brain beneath our eyes. May it not be that tomorrow, through the logical and biological deepening of the movement drawing it together, it will find its heart, without which the ultimate wholeness of its power of unification can never be achieved?’”

<http://faculty.mdc.edu/jmcnair/Joe21pages/TEILHARD%20DE%20CHARDIN.htm>

Would it be too much to hope for the compassionate community of Jesus to appear in our world according to Teilhard’s speculation on the noosphere?

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. Think on the envelope of love that can surround the earth according to the belief of Teilhard de Chardin. God bless you on your journeying.

Readings and Femily for Third Sunday of Easter - Year B: 2012,2016,2020,etc.

Reading 1 is from Acts 3:13-15, 17-19

Peter said to the people: “The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our ancestors, has glorified God’s servant Jesus, whom you handed over and denied in Pilate’s presence when he had decided to release him. You denied the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you. The author of life you put to death, but God raised him from the dead; of this we are witnesses. Now I know, brothers and sisters, that you acted out of ignorance, just as your leaders did; but God has thus brought to fulfillment what God announced beforehand through the mouth of all the prophets, that the Messiah would suffer. Repent, therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be wiped away.”

Responsorial Psalm is #4:2, 4, 7-9

Response: Loving God, let your face shine on us.

When I call, answer me, O my just God, you who relieve me when I am in distress.

Have pity on me, and hear my prayer!

Response: Loving God, let your face shine on us.

Know that God does wonders for faithful ones;

God will hear when I call.

Response: Loving God, let your face shine on us.

Loving God, let the light of your countenance shine upon us!

You put gladness into my heart.

Response: Loving God, let your face shine on us.

As soon as I lie down, I fall peacefully asleep,

For you alone, O God, bring security to my dwelling.

Response: Loving God, let your face shine on us.

Reading 2 is from I John 2:1-5

My children, I am writing this to you so that you may not commit sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous one. He is expiation for our sins, and not for our sins only but for those of the whole world. The way we may be sure that we know him is to keep his commandments. Those who say, “I know him,” but do not keep his commandments are liars, and the truth is not in them. But whoever keeps his word, the love of God is truly perfected in him.

Gospel is from Luke 24:35-48

The two disciples recounted what had taken place on the way, and how Jesus was made known to them in the breaking of bread. While they were still speaking about this, he stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.” But they were startled and terrified and thought that they were seeing a ghost. Then he said to them, “Why are you troubled? And why do questions arise in your hearts? Look at my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me and see, because a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you can see I have.” And as he said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. While they were still incredulous for joy and were amazed, he asked them, “Have you anything here to eat?” They gave him a piece of baked fish; he took it and ate it in front of them. He said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the law of Moses and in the prophets and psalms must be fulfilled.” Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures. And he said to them, “Thus it is written that the Christ would suffer and rise from the dead on the third day and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins, would be preached in his name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.”

Femily: God Cares

“Cast all your care upon him for he cares for you.” (I Peter 5:7) Peter is inviting us to tell our troubles to the Christ and ask for advice. Have you lain in bed in the morning dreading to get up because you had a heavy problem scheduled for your day? Tell your troubles to Jesus and remember his caring love.

Perhaps telling your friends and associates about the love available in Jesus is more difficult. Perhaps your tongue is afraid to pronounce the healing of people, through calling on the love and care that is in Jesus. But even a silent remembrance of Jesus goes a long way. Remember that Christ was willing to suffer for others and to proclaim forgiveness for those who wounded him.

We do not know what vision of Jesus his disciples saw, but we do know that the vision was loving and kind. So we pray, “Jesus help us to be loving and kind. Help us to heal and care for others.”

God cares for the whole earth. We can help God’s agenda by caring for our fellow humanbeings. A good example of caring for others by community building is given by the Pequot Casino Community which is built on gambling money, but also used Habitat for Humanity’s resources for the poor. This year may be the year that state governments in the United States take the chance to design a restorative justice community that could be a model for displaced people, oppressed people, minority populations, even mental health communities, to be emulated all over the world. Each community would have its own solar or wind energy, cell phone towers, wind energy farms, or vegetable farms, or chickens-roving-free farms. Buildings should be three stories or less! Pequots used ancient family justice systems. All this natural energy can save money. Using prisoners to mold their own bricks and build their own buildings, can also save money.

What works?

The world needs land reform, especially in Latin America. Tribes should be able to make their own castle communities in the Arabian and Iranian deserts, using available water resources and planting trees. Jobs could be created for the aging, for youth and the indigenous, particularly jobs to overcome the effects of climate change. People could build houses on stilts, construct wind turbine, geo-thermal, solar, and water power energy systems. There would be social protection for the poor and more women in government. State governments and church governments would reflect the needs of the people they serve, rather than reflect the needs of big business. Compassionate justice would apply for all with attention to basic human rights, decent work for a decent life, and communities designed with employability in mind. The state is responsible for all of its people. Be sure the indigenous are considered in the employment issue.

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. God bless you on your journeying.

Readings for Fourth Sunday of Easter - Year B: 2012,2016,2020,etc.

Reading 1 is from Acts 4:8-12

Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said: “Leaders of the people and elders: If we are being examined today about a good deed done to a cripple, namely, by what means he was saved, then all of you and all the people of Israel should know that it was in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarean whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead; in his name this person stands before you healed. Jesus is the stone rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. There is no salvation through anyone else, nor is there any other name under heaven given to the human race by which we are to be saved.”

Responsorial Psalm is #118:1, 8-9, 21-29

Response: The stone that was rejected has become the cornerstone.

Give thanks to God, for God is good, for God’s mercy endures forever.

It is better to take refuge in God than to trust in a human being.

Response: The stone that was rejected has become the cornerstone.

I will give thanks to you, for you have answered me and have been my savior.

By our God has this been done; it is wonderful in our eyes.

Response: The stone that was rejected has become the cornerstone.

Blessed is the one who comes in the name of God; we bless you from the house of God.

We will march with palm branches all the way to the altar.

Response: The stone that was rejected has become the cornerstone.

Reading 2 is from I John 3:1-2

Beloved: See what love the Father has bestowed on us that we may be called the children of God. Yet so we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God’s children now; what we shall be has not yet been revealed. We know that when it is revealed, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.

Gospel is from John 10:11-18

Jesus said: “I am the good shepherd. A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. A hired man, who is not a shepherd and whose sheep are not his own, sees a wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away, and the wolf catches and scatters them. This is because he works for pay and has no concern for the sheep. I am the good shepherd, and I know mine and mine know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I will lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. These also I must lead, and they will hear my voice, and there will be one flock, one shepherd. This is why my Abba loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down on my own. I have power to lay it down, and power to take it up again. This command I have received from my Abba.”

Femily: Miracles

Do we need miracles in order to believe? Peter confronts the people who have seen the cripple healed and tells them that this healing has been done because the spirit of Jesus is still with his disciples. Do we need miracles in order to believe that Jesus’ message of compassion and empathy is still guiding our actions and the actions of our fellow human beings? Are we truly concerned with our fellow human beings? Sometimes it seems that we stand with anti-abortion people shouting ‘right-to-life’ and ignore the prisoner with the death sentence. Do we wash our hands of a fellow human when he has been acknowledged as an offender? Do we attempt to heal the offender, or do we simply make sure that he or she is thoroughly punished for his or her offenses?

Do we try to heal our fellow human beings when they are sentenced to death by our laws? Or are we only concerned with the death penalty for unborn babies through abortion? In Matthew 8:5 we hear about a centurion who has a sick servant. This soldier pleads with Jesus for the healing of his friend. In Acts 16:24 it is described how Paul and Silas were thrown into the innermost prison and had their feet fastened in the stocks. When someone in the immediate family is sick, it is customary for the rest of the family members to wait on him, take him to the doctor’s, and try to heal him. When someone in the human family is sick, or anti-social, or oppressed, do the other family members try to help the lost sheep to be found and to recover, or do they throw him into the innermost prison? In today’s world in many circumstances, we throw offenders into prison.

There must be a reason as to why we have prisons.

Earlier cultures did not have as many prisons as we do today. Offenders or the mentally ill were more often killed on the spot, killed in war, sold into slavery, or died a slow death in stocks in the innermost prison. Looking back at this situation, we can believe that humanity is making great progress. We still have war; we still have the death penalty, but society is questioning both these unpleasantries. In the United States we seem to have prisons in order to take criminals off the street, so that they don’t harm the law abiding. The root cause for our gigantic prison system is that it just evolved that way. Can’t we control our ethical evolution? Surely there is a more sensible solution to the waywardness of people than locking them up! Good parents don’t lock up their naughty children. Similarly, it doesn’t work when the state locks up offenders and places guards over them.

Unfortunately, the incarcerated often recidivate when released. Prisons are not a cure for the disease they are supposed to remedy. Our ethical guide, the message of Jesus, advises us to love our enemies and to be merciful. We have come to see alcohol and drug addiction as a disease. When the Rockefeller Drug Laws were installed in New York State calling for long sentences, several legislators advised that programs be put in the prisons to cure addictions. A few programs were installed, but most addicts received no such help. We have learned that many prisoners had reading problems so that they could not succeed in school. When educational programs were given in the prisons, recidivism was cut back. Those who completed their high school degree in prison were less likely to return to prison after their release. Very few of those who had college degrees recidivated. You would have thought that the shakers and movers of our society would have noticed this, and given more college courses to those in prison to improve their chances at becoming tax paying citizens. One reason that few college graduates returned to their incarceration is that they were employable. They could find a job, pay their rent, and support their family. If society really wanted offenders to stay out of prison, they would train them inside the prison to make them employable.

How can the prisoner be helped? If we want our ethical values to keep up to our scientific advancement, we should no longer make war or mistreat those in prisons. Our world is truly a marvelous place. We communicate by cell phone; we watch news on TV from around the earth; and colleges put courses on the Internet to educate those who cannot attend classes. If cell phones and computers were allowed in prisons, what harm could occur, and how could intelligent supervisors circumvent such imagined harm? The world is marvelous, but it also has many problems. There is radiation from these new electronic gadgets. There is environmental warming. There are unnecessary wars. There are countries who do not sign onto United Nations initiatives to promote peace and understanding among all peoples. The world needs renewable energy sources. The world needs housing projects with environmentally sound energy and water lines in the desert replacing oil pipelines. Can we train our inner-city youth and our incarcerated to build wind turbines and water power plants using on-line courses contributed by MIT and Yale and other colleges? Can the incarcerated be trained and employed in the reconstruction of their former prisons into health treatment centers and housing for the elderly? Could wind farms be installed nearby to supply power to prisons that had been reconstructed into schools and health centers?

We are the ones who are responsible to make our future and the future of our fellow citizens. It was poor judgment that put drug addicts in prison for such a long time without proper treatment. It was poor judgment that cancelled college education programs for the incarcerated. It was poor judgment that caused our leaders to go to war instead of signing onto U.N. weapons reduction commitments. Political leaders who are looking ahead, can envision and create a new world, that will heal instead of harm, that will restore instead of punish. Not only do they have the power to create jobs and rebuild infrastructure, but they have the ability to rebuild lives and to make our society more peaceful. We are the ones who must listen to the message of Jesus and apply it in our daily lives.

Jesus tells us that he is our Good Shepherd, and that he has power to take up his life and his message again. Is Jesus inviting us to be a home for his Good Spirit? Are we willing to invite the Good Spirit of Jesus to make a home in our hearts? We cry out in our weariness, “Spirit of Jesus, come! Help us to heal the sick and give bread to the hungry, not for pay, not for the glory of authority, not for the marvel of miracles, but out of loving concern for our fellow human beings. Spirit of Jesus, Come!”

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. God bless you on your journeying.

Readings and Femily for Fifth Sunday of Easter - Year B: 2012,2016,2020,etc.

Reading 1 is from Acts 9:26-31

When Saul arrived in Jerusalem he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple. Then Barnabas took charge of him and brought him to the apostles, and Paul reported to them how he had seen Jesus, and that Jesus had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he, Paul, had spoken out boldly in the name of Jesus. He moved about freely with them in Jerusalem, and spoke out boldly in the name of Jesus. Paul also spoke and debated with the Hellenists, but they tried to kill him. When others in the community learned of this, they took Paul down to Caesarea and sent him on his way to Tarsus. The church throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria was at peace. It was being built up and walked in the fear of God, and with the consolation of the Holy Spirit it grew in numbers.

Responsorial Psalm is #22:26-32

Response: I will praise you, Loving God, in the assembly of your people.

I will fulfill my vows before those who fear God. The lowly shall eat their fill;

They who seek God shall live in hope and give God praises!

Response: I will praise you, Loving God, in the assembly of your people.

All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to God;

All the families of the nations shall bow down before God.

Response: I will praise you, Loving God, in the assembly of your people.

To God alone shall bow down all who sleep in the earth;

Before God shall bend all who go down into the dust.

Response: I will praise you, Loving God, in the assembly of your people.

And my soul shall live in my descendants who shall serve God.

Let the coming generation be told of God that they may proclaim to a people yet to be born, God’s justice.

Response: I will praise you, Loving God, in the assembly of your people.

Reading 2 is from I John 3:18-24

Children, let us love not in word or speech but in deed and truth. Now this is how we shall know that we belong to the truth and reassure our hearts before God in whatever our hearts condemn, for God is greater than our hearts and knows everything. Beloved, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence in God and receive from God whatever we ask, because we keep God’s commandments and do what pleases God. And God’s commandment is this: we should believe in the name of God’s Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another just as Jesus commanded. Those who keep Jesus’ commandments remain in Jesus, and Jesus in them, and the way we know that Jesus remains in us is from the Spirit he gave us.

Gospel is from John 15:1-8

Jesus said to his disciples: “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower. He takes away every branch in me that does not bear fruit, and every one that does he prunes so that it bears more fruit. You are already pruned because of the word that I spoke to you. Remain in me, as I remain in you. Just as a branch cannot bear fruit on its own unless it remains on the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing. Anyone who does not remain in me will be thrown out like a branch and wither; people will gather them and throw them into a fire and they will be burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask for whatever you want, and it will be done for you. By this is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples.”

Femily: How can this man give us of his spirit?

We pass our joys and our sorrows off on one another. My spirit can change your spirit. If I am sad, you understand, and you become sad and try to cheer me up. If I am in deep trauma, how distressed you become out of your concern for me! But if I am happy and jumping up and down with joy, you brighten up, and start jumping, too. Likewise with the Spirit of Jesus, he poured out his joy, peace, wisdom, and compassion onto his disciples. In contemplation on the person of Jesus, we can garner some of his thought on how to be of service to God and humanity. We are helped with our problems, better able to endure suffering, and more ready to share in the joys and sufferings of others. Spirit of Jesus, come! Help all of us to share in the joys and sufferings of all the world! Help us to heal, as you were able to heal!

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly?” Help us to enter into the joys and sufferings of others. Let us remember that the Spirit of Jesus is willing to be with us in all that we think and say and do. God bless you on your journeying.

Readings for Sixth Sunday of Easter - Year B: 2012,2016,2020,etc.

Reading 1 is from Acts 10:25-48

When Peter entered, Cornelius met him and, falling at his feet, paid him homage. Peter, however, raised him up, saying, “Get up. I myself am also a human being.” Then Peter proceeded to speak and said, “In truth, I see that God shows no partiality. Rather, in every nation whoever fears him and acts uprightly is acceptable to him.” While Peter was still speaking these things, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who were listening to the word. The circumcised believers who had accompanied Peter were astounded that the gift of the Holy Spirit should have been poured out on the Gentiles also, for they could hear them speaking in tongues and glorifying God. Then Peter responded, “Can anyone withhold the water for baptizing these people, who have received the Holy Spirit even as we have?” He ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.

Responsorial Psalm is #98:1-4

Response: God has revealed to the nations God’s saving power.

Sing to God a new song, for God has done wondrous deeds;

God’s right hand and holy arm have won the victory.

Response: God has revealed to the nations God’s saving power.

God has made salvation known: in the sight of the nations God’s justice is revealed.

God has done kindly and faithfully toward the house of Israel.

Response: God has revealed to the nations God’s saving power.

All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation by our God.

Sing joyfully to God, all you lands; break into song; sing praise.

Response: God has revealed to the nations God’s saving power.

Reading 2 is from I John 4:7-10

Beloved, let us love one another, because love is of God; everyone who loves is begotten by God and knows God. Whoever is without love does not know God, for God is love. In this way the love of God was revealed to us: God sent God’s only Son into the world so that we might have life through him. In this is love: not that we have loved God, but that God loved us and sent Jesus Christ as expiation for our sins.

Gospel: John 15:9-17

Jesus said to his disciples: “As my Abba loves me, so I also love you. Remain in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept God’s commandments and remain in God’s love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy might be complete. This is my commandment: Love one another as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. I no longer call you slaves, because a slave does not know what his master is doing. I have called you friends, because I have told you everything I have heard from my Abba. It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain, so that whatever you ask Abba in my name, Abba may give you. This I command you: love one another.”

Femily: Thoughts on Abortion

This morning in church we were given a homily on abortion. To sum it up, we were told that abortion was evil because it was a crime against the innocent. The death penalty was apparently OK because those people were not innocent. To murder populations, as is done by soldiers or police, was apparently OK because soldiers and policemen are good people protecting other good people. It seems to be permissible to drop bombs on innocent populations, because the soldiers’ commanders feel that terrorists are hiding in populated areas, such as hospitals, schools, or churches. There did not seem to be much about Jesus’ message of compassion in the homily pronouncements.

Are abortions produced mainly by women or mainly by men? If a woman needs to explain her side of the story to a gathered community, as is needed in cases of abortion and abuse, the result should not be called a homily, because a ‘homily’ is a man’s viewpoint. What the gathered community needs, is to hear the ideas of women. We should call these presentations by the word femily. In a femily, it would be mentioned that even under stricter laws, the health of the mother would be saved at the expense of the baby. The ‘health of the mother’ and of the entire family is a personal decision made carefully by the family members and competent advisors. What happens to a family consisting of husband, wife, three young children, when a mother dies from an ‘unwanted’ pregnancy? I suppose the husband can always get a new mother for his children, and that he would rather have the new baby delivered no matter what. However, if he truly loves his wife and family, he might think of an abortion as the better alternative.

Questions that should be asked in such a femily could be: (1) Is it really possible to legislate abortions? (2) If poor people were given more alternatives to help them bring up their children, would there be fewer abortions? (3) How about describing the man’s part in the abuse or abortion? Can we put a bit of the blame for a difficult situation on the man, instead of assuming women who go for abortions are no good? (4) Why should the woman taken in adultery be stoned? Her erstwhile attacker was probably one of those who was willing to cast the first stone. Jesus did not accuse her. (5) Are those anti-abortionists who protest so vigorously willing to adopt and bring up the innocents they are defending? (6) How about a public cleansing and forgiving of all parties concerned? We must keep in mind that every abortion is fathered by a man. No men means no abortions!

We need a transformed world in which leaders respect the rights of the six billion people of the world, and help them to acquire the necessary food, housing, education, and health care (which includes responsible pregnancies). Our religious leaders should empathize with the needs of men and women, as Jesus empathized. Jesus said, “I will be with you always, even until the end of the world.”

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life briefly?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer.

Readings and Femily for Ascension - Year B: 2012,2016,2020,etc.

Reading 1 is from Acts 1:1-11

In my first account, Theophilus, I dealt with all that Jesus did and taught until the day he was taken up to heaven, having first instructed the apostles he had chosen through the Holy Spirit. In the time after his suffering he showed them in many convincing ways that he was alive, appearing to them over the course of forty days speaking to them about the reign of God. On one occasion when he met with them, he told them not to leave Jerusalem: “Wait, rather, for the fulfillment of my Father’s promise, of which you have heard me speak. John baptized with water, but within a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” While they were with him, they asked, “Master, are you going to restore the rule to Israel now?” His answer was: “The exact time it is not yours to know. The Father has reserved that to himself. You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes down on you; then you are to be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, yes, even to the ends of the earth.” No sooner had he said this than he was lifted up before their eyes in a cloud which took him from their sight. They were still gazing up into the heavens when two men dressed in white stood beside them. “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking up at the skies? This Jesus who has been taken from you will return, just as you saw him go up into the heavens.”

Responsorial Psalm is #47:2-3, 6-9

Response: God mounts the throne to shouts of joy; a blare of trumpets for our God.

All you people, clap your hands, shout to God with cries of gladness.

For our God, the Most High, the awesome, is the great ruler over all the earth.

Response: God mounts the throne to shouts of joy; a blare of trumpets for our God.

God mounts the throne amid shouts of joy; our God, amid trumpet blasts.

Sing praise to God, sing praise; sing praise to our ruler, sing praise.

Response: God mounts the throne to shouts of joy; a blare of trumpets for our God.

The ruler of all the earth, is God; sing hymns of praise.

God reigns over the nations; God sits on the holy throne.

Response: God mounts the throne to shouts of joy; a blare of trumpets for our God.

Reading 2 is from Ephesians 1:17-23

May the God of Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, grant you a spirit of wisdom and insight to know God clearly. May God enlighten your innermost vision that you may know the great hope to which God has called you, the wealth of the glorious heritage to be distributed among the members of the church, and the immeasurable scope of God’s power in us who believe. It is like the strength God showed in raising Christ from the dead and seating him at God’s right hand in heaven, high above every principality, power, virtue and domination, and every name that can be given in this age or the age to come. God has put all things under Christ’s feet and has made him thus exalted, head of the church, which is Christ’s body; the fullness of God who fills the universe in all its parts.

Gospel is from Mark 16:15-20

Jesus appeared to the Eleven and said to them: “Go into the whole world and proclaim the Good News to all creation. The person who believes and accepts baptism will be saved; the person who refuses to believe will be condemned. Signs like these will accompany those who have professed their faith: they will use my name to expel demons, they will speak entirely new languages, they will be able to handle serpents, they will be able to drink deadly poison without harm, and the sick upon whom they lay their hands will recover.” Then, after speaking to them, Jesus was taken up into heaven and took his seat at God’s right hand. The Eleven went forth and preached everywhere, while Jesus continued to work with them throughout and confirm the message through the signs which accompanied them.

Femily: Handling the Serpents

May Jesus inspire us with his Good News! The whole world is waiting for wisdom and insight. The sick need to hear a voice of healing. But how do we handle the serpents?

Politicians argue on petty details while our infrastructure and youth rot away. Our nation is falling apart! Because many in the government haven’t listened to each other in the past ten years, we have a Middle East cauldron, jobs are going overseas, our market economy is failing us, purchase power of the minimum wage is down over thirty percent, company pensions are failing, health insurance is ridiculous. What can governments do for their people? How can we tell the Good News of Jesus to the whole world?

In the U.S. California is trying to do something about these problems, but most states are organized so that they are subject to the disagreements of lawmakers and the insinuations of newspapers and TV news programs. Is there any reason why Republicans and Democrats must be so controversial? Can’t the major parties cooperate on a positive project to save our nation and perhaps even demonstrate to the rest of the world a way out of the desolation? Is it possible that they have not heard the Good News?

Major problems in the world are joblessness, environmental degradation, severe militarization (guns, landmines, nuclear weapons, torture of prisoners, youth soldiers), immigration, and politicians and news media who play on our fears. What can we do about all that? Can’t we formulate a work/study program for our youth where they congregate in a local school or office building for four hours to watch educational videos on building construction and then go out in the community for four hours to apply their skills on dilapidated housing? We have so many colleges in the United States, but we condemn our young black men to prison. How could we stop this waste of young people? How can we undo the waste of human energy that has occurred under our system of punishing laws? Can’t we have a similar Study, Work, and Apply mentoring program for the incarcerated, both the youth and the elderly? Can’t we guide the youth and the formerly incarcerated into being mentors for each other?

Legislators understandably have trouble thinking about using internet education in the prisons. They visualize as an immediate after effect, thousands of ex-prisoners on the streets to join the homeless, the jobless, the addicted, the uneducated, and the unmentored. Why didn’t world leaders supply job training, addiction treatment, education, parenting skills, etc. to the incarcerated for the past 35 years instead of organizing immigration raids and locking up drug addicts? Jesus surely meant his Good News to apply to immigrants and drug addicts and the poor people in the Sudan. Youth who have no jobs can see no positive future. They are easily convinced to join the military who give them companionship and food to eat. To a lesser extent, the same is true in the City of Yonkers as in the Sudan. The youth are brought up in a culture of guns and gangs.

Our present infrastructure is decaying. We depend on oil, and that is being priced out of existence. What jobs can we find for our formerly incarcerated and our youth? There are many projects that will help us into the future. We can create jobs that are environmentally sound such as the manufacture of electric or solar buses, wind turbines, geothermal systems, solar power, water power, the rebuilding of decaying cities in an environmental manner, beach homes can be put up on stilts, highways rebuilt, highway fences painted and repaired, and bridges strengthened. We could start training persons for these jobs while they are still incarcerated, using practical videos. Above all, can’t we spread the Good News of Jesus Christ? Can’t we be kind to each other?

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. God bless you on your journeying.

Readings and Femily for 7th Sunday of Easter - Year B: 2012,2016,2020,etc.

Reading 1 is from Acts 1:15-17, 20-26

In those days Peter stood up in the midst of the community— there must have been one hundred and twenty gathered together. “Brothers and Sisters,” he said, “the saying in scripture uttered long ago by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of David was destined to be fulfilled in Judas, the one that guided those who arrested Jesus. Judas was one of our number and he had been given a share in this ministry of ours. It is written in the Book of Psalms, ‘May another take his office.’ It is entirely fitting, therefore, that one of those who was of our company while Jesus moved among us, should be named as witness with us to his resurrection.” At that, they nominated two, Joseph (called Barsabbas, also known as Justus) and Matthias. Then they prayed: “Loving God, you read the hearts of people. Make known to us which of these two you choose for this apostolic ministry, replacing Judas, who deserted the cause and went the way he was destined to go.” They then drew lots between the two people. The choice fell to Matthias, who was added to the eleven apostles.

Responsorial Psalm is #103:1-2, 11-12, 19-20

Response: Our God has set a throne in heaven.

Bless our God, O my soul; and all my being bless God’s holy name.

Bless our God, O my soul, and forget not all God’s benefits.

Response: Our God has set a throne in heaven.

For as the heavens are high above the earth, so surpassing is God’s kindness.

As far as the east is from the west, so far has God put our transgressions from us.

Response: Our God has set a throne in heaven.

Our God has established a throne in heaven, and God’s kingdom rules over all.

Bless God, all you angels, you mighty in strength, who do God’s bidding.

Response: Our God has set a throne in heaven.

Reading 2 is from I John 4:11-16

Beloved, if God has loved us so, we must have the same love for one another. No one has ever seen God. Yet if we love one another, God dwells in us, and God’s love is brought to perfection in us. The way we know we remain in God and God in us is that God has given us of God’s Spirit. We have seen for ourselves, and can testify, that the Father has sent the Son as savior of the world. When anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwells in them, and they dwell in God. We have come to know and to believe in the love God has for us. God is love, and they who abide in love abide in God, and God in them.

Gospel is from John 17:11-19

Jesus looked up to heaven and prayed: “O Abba most holy, protect them with your name which you have given me, (that they may be one, even as we are one.) As long as I was with them, I guarded them with your name which you gave me. I kept careful watch, and not one of them was lost, none but the one who was destined to be lost— in fulfillment of scripture. Now, however, I come to you; I say all this while I am still in the world that they may share my joy completely. I gave them your word, and the world has hated them for it; they do not belong to the world, (any more than I belong to the world.) I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but to guard them from the evil one. They are not of the world, any more than I am of the world. Consecrate them by means of truth— (your word is truth.) As you have sent me into the world, so have I sent them into the world; I concecrate myself for their sakes now, that they may be consecrated in truth.”

Femily: What Is Truth?

Before the crucifixion, Pilate asked Jesus, “What is truth?” Truth is a very variable event; what is true for one day and age, may not be true for succeeding days or ages. How does one become consecrated by means of truth? Can one become immersed in God’s love, and find one’s spirit pouring out love to all people?

Can we turn a moment of despair into a moment of sanctification by the words we speak or the thoughts we think. For example:- “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do,” or, “Be it done to me according to thy will.”

The early church had small communities in their homes where they consecrated themselves to help one another. Some of these early groups were facilitated by women. When a church group today gets so big that it builds another church that holds more people, does it loose its original perspective? When the Catholic Church has fewer priests, and refuses to admit women to the priesthood, they should not have fewer Masses in a big and newly built church, with more people at each Mass. They should have smaller neighborhood churches with married men and women facilitating the smaller congregations. In smaller groups one might find greater commitment between people and acknowledgment of what is true reality. All that is needed for this plan to work is for the Pope to announce that leadership possibilities can exist for the married and unmarried, both men and women.

“If we love one another, God dwells in us,” and we can speak truth together from the Good Spirit that dwells in our hearts.

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. God bless you on your journeying.

(At this point the Mass order changes back to Ordinary Time. We are reminded of God’s loving care and reintroduced to the Spirit of Wisdom. Trinity Sunday and Corpus Christi take precedence over the Sundays of Ordinary Time. The second section of Ordinary Time runs from the day after Pentecost to the Saturday before the First Sunday in Advent.)

Readings and Femily for Pentecost Sunday - Year B: May27,2012; 2016,2020,etc.

Reading 1 is from Exodus 19:3-8, 16-20

Moses went up unto God, and God called unto Moses out of the mountain, saying, “Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel, ‘Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles’ wings, and brought you unto myself. Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people, for all the earth is mine. And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation.’ These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.” And Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before their faces all these words which God commanded him. And all the people answered together, and said, “All that God hath spoken we will do.” And Moses returned the words of the people unto God. And Moses said unto the people, “Be ready against the third day; come not at your wives.” And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that were in the camp trembled. And Moses brought forth the people out of the camp to meet with God; and they stood at the nether part of the mount. And Mount Sinai was altogether smoking, because God descended upon it in fire; and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly. And when the voice of the trumpet sounded long, and waxed louder and louder, Moses spake, and God answered him by a voice. And God came down upon Mount Sinai, on the top of the mount. And God called Moses up to the top of the mount; and Moses went up.

Responsorial Psalm is #104:12, 24, 27-30

Response: God send out your Spirit and renew the face of the earth.

The fowls of the heaven have their habitation, which sing among the branches.

O God, how manifold are thy works! In wisdom hast thou made them all; the earth is full of thy riches.

Response: God send out your Spirit and renew the face of the earth.

These all wait upon thee; that thou mayest give them their meat in due season.

That thou givest them they gather. Thou openest thine hand; they are filled with good.

Response: God send out your Spirit and renew the face of the earth.

Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled. Thou takest away their breath. They die, and return to their dust.

Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created; and thou renewest the face of the earth.

Response: God send out your Spirit and renew the face of the earth.

Reading 2 is from I Corinthians 12:3-7, 12-13

Wherefore I give you to understand, that no person speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed; and that no person can say that Jesus is the Messiah, but by the Holy Spirit. Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administrations, but the same Messiah. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every person to profit withal. For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body; so also is Christ. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.

Gospel is from Mark 16:9-15

Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils. And she went and told them that had been with him, as they mourned and wept. And they, when they had heard that he was alive, and had been seen of her, believed not. After that he appeared in another form unto two of them, as they walked, and went into the country. And they went and told it unto the residue: neither believed they them. Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen. And he said unto them, “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.”

Femily: The One Spirit

Today and always, we celebrate the One Spirit. This Spirit has been around for a long time. In the Beginning, It hovered over the waters. It spoke in the hearts of Adam and Eve in the Garden. Thoth, the advisor of Ancient Egypt called the Spirit, the Dweller, because  such marvelous Thought was content to dwell in the soul of the human. The Native Americans name this quantity by the name of Great Spirit. It is nothing we can see, but we find a startling peace in something unseen. Jesus tells us, “Receive the Holy Spirit!” Let’s take the advice of Jesus. If we invite Great Spirit into our soul, and recognize that Great Spirit is available to all the people of the earth, how can we go in wrong directions?

If we forgive all those who have wronged us, won’t we make room for the Great Spirit to dwell in our hearts? If we recognize Great Spirit in all those we encounter, and trigger their desire to have Good Spirit in their souls, greed and disharmony will slink away into the darkness. Today and everyday, let us remember to celebrate Great Spirit!

Jesus tells us to preach the Gospel to every creature. St. Francis took this literally, and preached to the birds, and to the wolf of Gubio. You might enjoy preaching about the Good Spirit to the deer and the squirrels.

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. Ask for special healings for those who lead nations and religious bodies.

Readings and Femily for Trinity Sunday - Year B: 2012,2016,2020,etc.

Reading 1 is from Deuteronomy 4:32-34,39-40

Moses said to the people: “Ask now of the days of old, before your time, ever since God created humanbeings upon the earth; ask from one end of the sky to the other: Did anything so great ever happen before? Was it ever heard of? Did a people ever hear the voice of God speaking from the midst of fire, as you did, and live? Or did any god venture to go and take a nation for themselves from the midst of another nation, by testings, by signs and wonders, by war, with strong hand and outstretched arm, and by great terrors, all of which your God did for you in Egypt before your very eyes? This is why you must now know, and fix in your heart, that your God is in the heavens above and on the earth below, and that there is no other. You must keep his statutes and commandments that I enjoin on you today, that you and your children after you may prosper, and that you may have long life on the land which your God is giving you forever.”

Responsorial Psalm is #33:4-9, 12, 18-22

Response: Blessed are the people that God has chosen to be God’s own.

Upright is the word of God, and all God’s works are trustworthy.

God loves justice and right; of the kindness of God the earth is full.

Response: Blessed are the people that God has chosen to be God’s own.

By the word of God the heavens were made; by the breath of God’s mouth, all their host.

For God spoke, and it was made; God commanded, and it stood forth.

Response: Blessed are the people that God has chosen to be God’s own.

See, the eyes of God are upon those who fear him, upon those who hope for God’s kindness,

To deliver them from death and preserve them in spite of famine.

Response: Blessed are the people that God has chosen to be God’s own.

Our soul waits for God, who is our help and our shield.

May your kindness, O God, be upon us who have put our hope in you.

Response: Blessed are the people that God has chosen to be God’s own.

Reading 2 is from Romans 8:14-17

Brothers and sisters: Those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons and daughters of God. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you received a Spirit of adoption, through whom we cry, “Abba!” The Great Spirit bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if only we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.

Gospel is from Matthew 28:16-20

The eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had ordered them. When they all saw him, they worshiped, but some doubted. Then Jesus approached and said to them, “All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Outgoing Universal Creative Force, and of the Indwelling Comforter, and of the Unifying Spirit, teaching the nations to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.”

Femily: Jesus Is With Us Always!

We are to make disciples of all nations. That is quite a task. Perhaps we can do it, if we all work together, and if we all keep up our conversations with Jesus. How do we enter into conversation with Jesus? One way to start is to open our Bible and to read something that Jesus said. Then you can tell Jesus how you feel about his statement. (Some Bibles have Jesus’ words printed in red.)

In the Gospel of Matthew above, Jesus says, “All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” He says he will help us in changing the hearts of the nations. Let us trust his word, and let him help us in all things.

Let us trust Mary, his mother, too. One of her titles is ‘Our Lady of Perpetual Help’. With so many disturbing things going on in the world, it is comforting to think that people like Jesus and Mary are spiritually with us to encourage and help us.

Jesus says we are to baptize, or pour spiritual blessings out onto the people of the nations. The people of the nations have been economically defrauded. Their food has been diminished. They have been deprived of their resources. We can bless them by giving them their human rights. We can help them to build schools and hospitals. One thing we can do is to request that our leaders stop bombing civilians. Wars are never won; they are lost by both the attacker and the attacked. The way to changing the hearts of nations and their leaders is to pour blessings on them. Tell them about a loving Creator who has given the earth to us, and then demonstrate the love of such a generous God, in our words and deeds.

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. God bless you on your journeying.

Readings and Femily for Corpus Christi - Year B: 2012,2016,2020,etc.

Reading 1 is from Exodus 24:3-8

When Moses came to the people and related all the words and ordinances of God, they all answered with one voice, “We will do everything that God has told us.” Moses then wrote down all the words of God and, rising early the next day, he erected at the foot of the mountain an altar and twelve pillars for the twelve tribes of Israel. Then, having sent certain young people of the Israelites to offer holocausts and sacrifice young bulls as peace offerings to God, Moses took half of the blood and put it in large bowls; the other half he splashed on the altar. Taking the book of the covenant, he read it aloud to the people, who answered, “All that God has said, we will heed and do.” Then he took the blood and sprinkled it on the people, saying, “This is the blood of the covenant that God has made with you in accordance with all these words and ordinances.”

Responsorial Psalm is #116:12-18

Response: I will take the cup of salvation, and call on the name of God.

How shall I make a return to God for all the good God has done for me?

The cup of salvation I will take up, and I will call upon the name of God.

Response: I will take the cup of salvation, and call on the name of God.

Precious in the eyes of God is the death of God’s faithful ones.

I am your servant, the son of your handmaid; you have loosed my bonds.

Response: I will take the cup of salvation, and call on the name of God.

To you will I offer sacrifice of thanksgiving, and I will call upon the name of God.

My vows to God I will pay in the presence of all God’s people.

Response: I will take the cup of salvation, and call on the name of God.

Reading 2 is from Hebrews 9:11-15

Brothers and sisters: When Christ came as high priest of the good things that have come to be, passing through the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made by hands, that is, not belonging to this creation, he entered once for all into the sanctuary, not with the blood of goats and calves but with his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats and bulls and the sprinkling of a heifer’s ashes can sanctify those who are defiled so that their flesh is cleansed, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from dead works to worship the living God. For this reason Christ is mediator of a new covenant: since a death has taken place for deliverance from transgressions under the first covenant, those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance.

Gospel is from Mark 14:12-16, 22-26

On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, when they sacrificed the Passover lamb, Jesus’ disciples said to him, “Where do you want us to go and prepare for you to eat the Passover?” He sent two of his disciples and said to them, “Go into the city and a man will meet you, carrying a jar of water. Follow him. Wherever he enters, say to the master of the house, ‘The Teacher says, “Where is my guest room where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?”’ Then he will show you a large upper room furnished and ready. Make the preparations for us there.” The disciples then went off, entered the city, and found it just as he had told them; and they prepared the Passover. While they were eating, he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, gave it to them, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, and they all drank from it. He said to them, “This is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed for many. Amen, I say to you, I shall not drink again the fruit of the vine until the day when I drink it new in the realm of God.” Then, after singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

Femily: The Good Spirit Is With Us Always!

The Good Spirit does not desert the universe. Our gloom may be so deep that we may fail to recognize the marvels of the earth around us, or the marvel of our own inner thought and being. The Good Spirit may come through other people, or other religious beliefs, or into our own heart when we are in meditation. Another belief system that speaks of a method to attain peace, is Buddhism. The Buddha’s method is called the Eight-fold Path. The eight steps are:

(1) Right Vision – to perceive that the human experience is often intolerable.

(2) Right Aims – not to be lost in luxury, not to exploit others, but to love them.

(3) Right Speech – to hold one’s tongue, to be truthful.

(4) Right Action – to never kill, steal, or fornicate, but to do positive things that benefit others.

(5) Right Livelihood – to make one’s living without harming others. Pure and honest practices should be followed.

(6) Right Mindfulness – to abjure all evil thoughts and focus only on good thoughts.

(7) Right Awareness – to constantly avoid attachments to body and desires.

(8) Right Meditation – to adopt the elaborate mental procedures worked out by Buddha.

The Buddha’s method does not mention the comforts of being in a loving community, but other kindly people are hinted at, in the advice given in Right Aims and Right Action. A Loving God may be found when doing the practice of Right Meditation. As a follower of Christ, one can agree with the wisdom in the eight principles of the Eightfold Path.

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. God bless you on your journeying.

Readings and Femily for 12th Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year B: 2012,2016,2020,etc.

Reading 1 is from Job 38:1, 8-11

The Great God addressed Job out of the storm and said: Who shut within doors the sea, when it burst forth from the womb; when I made the clouds its garment and thick darkness its swaddling bands? When I set limits for it and fastened the bar of its door, and said, “Thus far shall you come but no farther, and here shall your proud waves be stilled!”

Responsorial Psalm is #107:23-31

Response: Give thanks to the Living God whose love is everlasting.

They who sailed the sea in ships, trading on the deep waters,

These saw the works of God and God’s wonders in the abyss.

Response: Give thanks to the Living God whose love is everlasting.

God’s command raised up a storm wind which tossed its waves on high.

They mounted up to heaven; they sank to the depths; hearts melted away at their plight.

Response: Give thanks to the Living God whose love is everlasting.

They cried to the Living God in their distress; from their straits God rescued them,

God hushed the storm to a gentle breeze, and the billows of the sea were stilled.

Response: Give thanks to the Living God whose love is everlasting.

They rejoiced that the winds were calmed, and God brought them to their desired haven.

Let them give thanks to the Living God for kindness and wondrous deeds to humankind.

Response: Give thanks to the Living God whose love is everlasting.

Reading 2 is from II Corinthians 5:14-17

Brothers and sisters: The love of Christ impels us, once we have come to the conviction that one died for all; therefore, all have died. Jesus indeed died for all, so that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised. Consequently, from now on we regard no one according to the flesh; even if we once knew Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know him so no longer. So whoever is in Christ is a new creation:- the old things have passed away; behold, new things have come.

Gospel is from Mark 4:35-41

On that day, as evening drew on, Jesus said to his disciples: “Let us cross to the other side.” Leaving the crowd, they took Jesus with them in the boat just as he was. And other boats were with him. A violent squall came up and waves were breaking over the boat, so that it was already filling up. Jesus was in the stern, asleep on a cushion. They woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” He woke up, rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Quiet! Be still!” The wind ceased and there was a great calm. Then he asked them, “Why are you terrified? Do you not yet have faith?” They were filled with awe and said to one another, “Who then is this whom even wind and sea obey?”

Femily: Calming A Storm at Sea

Have you ever been in a boat in a storm? Have you ever been in a storm, and had Jesus with you, but he is sleeping on a cushion, and seems to be oblivious to the wind and rain that are buffeting you?

Jesus has spent the day with crowds of distressed people. He is tired, and this storm gives him a chance to rest. He is trusting you to take care of the sea-faring details, but some storms are too much for us little humans to cope with. You believe that if you shout into the winds and waves, they will not hear you. You are afraid to try it. Your fellow sailors will think you are a fool.

Jesus proclaims, “Abba God and I are One! We have the same agenda, which is the fulfillment of all humankind. Do not be terrified, but use your voice of compassion and the wisdom in your heart to quiet the storm.” The words of Jesus help us to calm the storms that arise in our souls. The old problems are washed away in the torrential rain, and the new growth flourishes.

The words of the Lord’s Prayer have been used to calm many storms. Can the words of the prayer that consider forgiveness and evil help people to recover from trauma and the other violence that blows across our presentday world?

Have you ever been in a storm and called on the Good Spirit for help? Have you been helped by remembering the words of the Lord’s Prayer? Keep in mind that the spirit of Jesus is ready to help you. Think of Jesus asking you, “Why are you terrified?” Remember that storms can be calmed.

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. God bless you on your journeying.

Readings and Femily for 13th Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year B: 2012,2016,2020,etc.

Reading 1 is from Wisdom 1:13-15; 2:23-24

God did not make death, nor does he rejoice in the destruction of the living. For God fashioned all things that they might have being; and the creatures of the world are wholesome, and there is not a destructive drug among them nor any domain of the netherworld on earth, for justice is undying. For God formed people to be imperishable; in the image of God’s own nature was the humanbeing made. But by the envy of the devil, death entered the world, and they who belong to devilish company experience it.

Responsorial Psalm is #30:2-6, 11-13

Response: I will praise you, God, for you have rescued me.

I will extol you, O God, for you drew me clear and did not let my enemies rejoice over me.

O God, you brought me up from the netherworld; you preserved me from among those going down into the pit.

Response: I will praise you, God, for you have rescued me.

Sing praise to the Living God, you faithful ones, and give thanks to God’s holy name.

For God’s anger lasts but a moment; a lifetime, God’s good will.

Response: I will praise you, God, for you have rescued me.

Hear, O Living God, and have pity on me; O God, be my helper.

You changed my mourning into dancing; O my God, forever will I give you thanks.

Response: I will praise you, God, for you have rescued me.

Reading 2 is from II Corinthians 8:7, 9, 13-15

Brothers and sisters: As you excel in every respect, in faith, discourse, knowledge, all earnestness, and in the love we have for you, may you excel in this gracious act also. For you know the gracious act of Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, for your sake he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich. Not that others should have relief while you are burdened, but that as a matter of equality your abundance at the present time should supply their needs, so that their abundance may also supply your needs, that there may be equality. As it is written: Whoever had much did not have more, and whoever had little did not have less.

Gospel is from Mark 5:21-43

When Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a large crowd gathered around him, and he stayed close to the sea. One of the synagogue officials, named Jairus, came forward. Seeing Jesus he fell at his feet and pleaded earnestly with him, saying, “My daughter is at the point of death. Please, come lay your hands on her that she may get well and live.” He went off with him, and a large crowd followed him and pressed upon him. There was a woman afflicted with hemorrhages for twelve years. She had suffered greatly at the hands of many doctors and had spent all that she had. Yet she was not helped but only grew worse. She had heard about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak. She said, “If I but touch his clothes, I shall be cured.” Immediately her flow of blood dried up. She felt in her body that she was healed of her affliction. Jesus, aware at once that power had gone out from him, turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who has touched my clothes?” But his disciples said to Jesus, “You see how the crowd is pressing upon you, and yet you ask, ‘Who touched me?’” And he looked around to see who had done it. The woman, realizing what had happened to her, approached in fear and trembling. She fell down before Jesus and told him the whole truth. He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has saved you. Go in peace and be cured of your affliction.” While he was still speaking, people from the synagogue official’s house arrived and said, “Your daughter has died; why trouble the teacher any longer?”  Disregarding the message that was reported, Jesus said to the synagogue official, “Do not be afraid; just have faith.” He did not allow anyone to accompany him inside except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James. When they arrived at the house of the synagogue official, he caught sight of a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. So he went in and said to them, “Why this commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but asleep.” And they ridiculed him. Then he put them all out. He took along the child’s father and mother and those who were with him and entered the room where the child was. He took the child by the hand and said to her, “Talitha koum,” which means, “Little girl, I say to you, arise!” The girl, a child of twelve, arose immediately and walked around. At that they were utterly astounded. He gave strict orders that no one should know this and said that she should be given something to eat.

Femily: A Good Earth?

According to Genesis 1, when the Creator looked at the results of her labor of love, she saw that it was good! The first reading reassures us that, “There is no destructive drug; there is no hell on earth.” Still, we humans complain that drugs are destructive, both those that are illegal and those that we buy with prescriptions hoping to heal ourselves of maladies. Surely, there are destructive drugs! As for finding Hell on earth, there is the Hell of warfare. There are the disasters of flood and famine. There are outrageous accidents that happen as a result of how we treat each other and how we treat the earth. We cry out to God to save us from these horrific events. Even the death of Jesus is an example of what we find totally undesirable. We certainly do not see such happenings as good.

Yet in the Gospel we have an example of how the kindness of the person Jesus can turn the sorrow of death to the joy of renewed life. Jesus says, “Maiden, arise!” And she gets up and walks. The Good Spirit speaks in our hearts and says, “Renew the earth!” And we are given the strength to move on past our trauma and despair. There is no situation on earth that the human cannot overcome with the help of the Good Spirit of Love.

Often we are faced with situations that make us question our ability to discern good from evil. The December 15 2004 issue of NYTimes records two contradictory events. We are asked to applaud when some people get medals for planning and carrying out the bombing, invading, and killing of innocent populations, described in War Figures Honored. Then we are expected to rejoice that another warlike leader, in A Trial for Pinochet, will get his just deserts for harming those opposed to his regime. Approbation or disapproval seems to depend on who is in power. No wonder Tim McVey got confused. First he got a medal for devastating buildings and people in Iraq; then he got executed for being destructive to a government building and innocent civilians in this country. The ethical values displayed in these two newspaper articles seem rather inconsistent. What has happened to our belief in justice tempered with compassion and respect for all peoples?

In a world where political leaders using flimsey information, can order soldiers into an area to kill women and children, it seems ridiculous to give life sentences for rape and murder, yet some persons get very upset about abortion. Others seek to see a seamless garment philosophy utilized. What can we do about this?

It is up to us to help make this earth the ‘good earth’ that God put in motion.

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. God bless you on your journeying.

Readings and Femily for 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year B: 2012,2016,2020,etc.

Reading 1 is from Ezekiel 2:2-5

As the Living God spoke to me, the spirit entered into me and set me on my feet, and I heard the one who was speaking say to me: Son of man, I am sending you to the Israelites, rebels who have rebelled against me; they and their ancestors have revolted against me to this very day. Hard of face and obstinate of heart are they to whom I am sending you. But you shall say to them: Thus says the Living God! And whether they heed or resist—for they are a rebellious house—they shall know that a prophet has been among them.

Responsorial Psalm is #123:1-4

Response: Our eyes are fixed on God, pleading for mercy.

To you I lift up my eyes who are enthroned in heaven —

As the eyes of servants are on the hands of their masters.

Response: Our eyes are fixed on God, pleading for mercy.

As the eyes of a maid are on the hands of her mistress,

So are our eyes on our God, till God have pity on us.

Response: Our eyes are fixed on God, pleading for mercy.

Have pity on us, O God, have pity on us, for we are more than sated with contempt;

Our souls are more than sated with the mockery of the arrogant, with the contempt of the proud.

Response: Our eyes are fixed on God, pleading for mercy.

Reading 2 is from II Corinthians 12:7-10

Brothers and sisters: That I, Paul, might not become too elated, because of the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, an angel of Satan, to beat me, to keep me from being too elated. Three times I begged God about this, that it might leave me, but God said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.” I will rather boast most gladly of my weaknesses, in order that the power of Christ may dwell with me. Therefore, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and constraints, for the sake of Christ; for when I am weak, then I am strong.

Gospel is from Mark 6:1-6

Jesus departed from there and came to his native place, accompanied by his disciples. When the sabbath came he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished. They said, “Where did this man get all this? What kind of wisdom has been given him? What mighty deeds are wrought by his hands! Is he not the carpenter, the son of Mary, and the brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him. Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his native place and among his own kin and in his own house.” So he was not able to perform any mighty deed there, apart from curing a few sick people by laying his hands on them. He was amazed at their lack of faith.

Femily: Women’s Issues

We often think of prophets as being of the male gender, but those who understand the English language tell us that often when a masculine word is used, the feminine gender is also included. Let us put the words of the prophet in the First Reading, into the feminine gender. Instead of hearing the words, Son of Man, we will hear God speaking thusly: “Daughter of woman, I am sending you to the Israelites, rebels who have rebelled against me; they and their ancestors have revolted against me to this very day. Hard of face and obstinate of heart are they to whom I am sending you.”

Do we hear a call for the Women of the Earth to arise and act? We women cannot just complain. We women are to act to correct the imbalances we find amongst the peoples of the earth. While the gathering of wealth is not a sin, evil happens when the wealth is not shared with others. It is unjust for corporative executives to have overmuch while others starve or depend on charity. What are we women, as prophets, called to do? How can we help to make the earth a place of compassion and justice? Does the word atonement fit in here?

The theory of atonement for sins has an element of truth. We are told that by Jesus’ blood, we are saved. In a sense we are one with humanity. My salvation is linked to yours. As I help you and myself, I contribute to the salvation of the world. In the salvation process, there is a birth of God in humanity. We each contribute to the saving of the world. This seems impossible, but we can look at the tremendous contributions of people that we have heard about:— Noah, Plato, Thomas Jefferson, Ghandhi, Teilhard de Chardin. We are partially saved by all of these, but in particular, by Jesus, as the true message of God’s love.

Women are happy when they see their fathers, husbands, and sons being comforted by a belief in a masculine God. They go along with a male Trinity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. But if you think about it, God is not only male. God contains all good qualities. God is also female. We might say that God is beyond male and female.

But wouldn’t the men be horrified if we told them they should bless themselves in the name of the Mother, Daughter, and Holy Spirit?! They might complain that God is not female; that God is love, and thus beyond male and female. They might say that we are making a graven image and worshipping it, when we were only trying to express the loving motherly qualities of God. We know when they describe a father and a son, that the men are trying to describe the fatherly qualities of God. We live by metaphors, and we know that the Creator of Heaven and Earth is beyond male and female, but often metaphors help us to see the compassionate love that created us, a little more clearly.

If God contains both male and female qualities, why are the Catholic hierarchy so intent on having only male priests? You don’t have to be male to quote Jesus. A male or female priest is able to clearly say what Jesus said. The bishops say they do not have the authority to ordain women. I question whether they have the authority to ordain men. Jesus refused to say that James and John would sit in special seats; he said that under his guidance, no one would be special or called ‘father’.

Incidently, Jesus did not say the word Father. Father is an English word and Jesus spoke Aramaic. If he had been a citizen of Rome and had spoken ancient Latin, Jesus would have spoken of God the Father as Jupiter. Ju was a Roman word for God, and Pater was the Roman word for Father. I doubt that Jesus the Jew would have used the term Jupiter when speaking of God. Recent theologians have made us happy by telling us that Jesus called God by the more familiar term of Abba which some claim means Daddy. Jesus may have been on such friendly childlike terms with God, but the ancient Aramaic term Abba could have had a much more respectful and non-gender-related meaning. Today in Lybia in a descendant language of Aramaic, some Arabic speakers have the word Abeyah, which can refer to a respected elder who could be either male or female. Could the meaning of Jesus’ term Abba have been Jesus’ way of referring to God as the Beloved Elder Creator Energy, beyond male or female?

Jesus did not specify a creed that his followers should say. One of his beliefs was that God is Love. I don’t think that particular word was in the Nicaean Creed which was put in place in the days of Emperor Constantine.

Jesus did not give us a formal creed to recite, but emphasized his message of compassion and forgiveness.

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. God bless you on your journeying.

Readings and Femily for 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year B: 2012,2016,2020,etc.

Reading 1 is from Amos 7:12-15

Amaziah, priest of Bethel, said to Amos, “Off with you, visionary, flee to the land of Judah! There earn your bread by prophesying, but never again prophesy in Bethel; for it is the king’s sanctuary and a royal temple.” Amos answered Amaziah, “I was no prophet, nor have I belonged to a company of prophets; I was a shepherd and a dresser of sycamores. God took me from following the flock, and said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to my people Israel.’”

Responsorial Psalm is #85:8-14

Response: God, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.

I will hear what God proclaims; the Loving God who proclaims peace.

Near indeed is God’s salvation to those who fear God, glory dwelling in our land.

Response: God, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.

Kindness and truth shall meet; justice and peace shall kiss.

Truth shall spring out of the earth, and justice shall look down from heaven.

Response: God, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.

The Loving God will give out benefits; our land shall yield its increase.

Justice shall walk before God, and prepare the way of God’s steps.

Response: God, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.

Reading 2 is from Ephesians 1:3-14

Blessed be the God and Father of Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavens, as God chose us before the foundation of the world, to be holy and without blemish. In love God destined us for adoption to Godself through Jesus Christ, in accord with the favor of God’s will, for the praise and the glory of grace that is granted to us in the beloved. In Christ we have redemption by Christ’s blood, the forgiveness of transgressions, in accord with the riches of grace that have been lavished upon us. In all wisdom and insight, God has made known to us the mystery of God’s will in accord with the favor that was set forth in a plan for the fullness of times, to sum up all things in Christ, in heaven and on earth. In Christ we were also chosen, destined in accord with the purpose of the One who accomplishes all things according to the intention of God’s will, so that we might exist for the praise of God’s glory, we who first hoped in Christ. In Christ you also, who have heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and have believed in Christ, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, which is the first installment of our inheritance toward redemption as God’s possession, to the praise of God’s glory.

Gospel is from Mark 6:7-13

Jesus summoned the Twelve and began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over unclean spirits. He instructed them to take nothing for the journey but a walking stick—no food, no sack, no money in their belts. They were, however, to wear sandals but not a second tunic. He said to them, “Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave. Whatever place does not welcome you or listen to you, leave there and shake the dust off your feet in testimony against them.” So they went off and preached repentance. The Twelve drove out many demons, and they anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them.

Femily: Jesus, the Nazarean

Jesus is telling his disciples how to heal people of their problems and illnesses. If we were going out on a healing journey today, would we take nothing but a walking stick? The doctor of today does not carry a walking stick; he does not walk; he does not visit the sick; he has the sick come to him. If the healer-disciples were caught up by darkness in this mission to the wounded, would they sleep by the side of the road, with no supper? Did Jesus believe that if you wore a second tunic, no one would believe you? Where did Jesus learn the rules for healing that he related to his students? What was Jesus’ medical background that he could give such authoritative advice? Jesus is known in some circles as a Nazarean. Is that a professional title?

Nazareth may have referred to a town, and the title on the cross may have been merely to distinguish Jesus from some other Jesus from another city. However, if it is only a geographical location, it is strange that Jesus’ disciples are called “Nazareans” in Acts 24:5 when it is more likely that they were from Capernaum or other towns. The words “Nazarean sect” in this quote from Acts are used rather derogatorily.

On the other hand the title “Nazarean” appears to be a title of honor in other Biblical quotes. We have the splendid angel of Mark 16:6 pronouncing, “You seek Jesus the Nazarean!” (It is improper to translate this as “Jesus of Nazareth”. The Greek gives the adjectivial noun and uses “the”.) When the patrol from the chief priests comes upon Jesus in the garden (John 18:5), they are respectfully seeking Jesus the Nazarean. They fall on the ground. The gospel author would not have them use a debasing term at this serious moment.

Let’s do an analysis of Nazarean words in the New Testament. In going through the Greek New Testament and examining the words that have to do with Nazarean, we find them to be of three main types. First is the name of the town, usually given as Nazareth. Second, there is the word which is best written as Naz-a-rean. Third, there is a word which is very similar to the second, but is more like Naz-o-rean.

Taking the Gospel of Mark first, as it is probably the oldest, we find one mention of the town (Mark 1:9) and four of the Naz-a-rean type (1:24, 10:47, 14:67, 16:6).  Matthew has two mentions of the town (2:23 and 21:11) and a Naz-o-rean word at 26:71. Luke has three mentions of the town of Nazareth (1:26, 2:39, 2:51) and one of the town of Nazara (4:16).  Luke has one mention of Naz-a-rean (4:34), but this is copied from Mark’s story of the demoniac (Mark 1:24) and uses the Greek vocative that Mark employs. Luke 18:37 uses Naz-o-rean, and Luke 24:9 is found in different Greek manuscripts as both Naz-o-rean and Naz-a-rean. John uses the name of the town (1:45, 1:46) and his other mentions are all of the Naz-o-rean type (18:5, 18:7, 19:19). Acts uses only the Naz-o-rean word (2:22, 3:6, 4:10, 6:14, 22:8, 24:5 plural, 26:9) and names the town in 10:38. Fairly consistently we find that early mentions lean towards the Naz-a-rean word, and later on in Jesus’ ministry, or in the life of the church, the Naz-o-rean word is preferred.

This Greek naz(a/o)rean variance may be explained as due to two different meanings coming from two similar Aramaic words such as carpenter and teacher. It may also be explained as due to two very similar root words, nasar and nasora. The Aramaic word nasar or nasrana may have an ending related to the Aramaic word gamrana (derived from gemar) having to do with teaching the traditional law. The second word nasora may be related to the Aramaic amora meaning a teacher who explains. In his early ministry, Jesus may have been thought of as a traditional Hebrew teacher; in his later ministry his reputation may have been upgraded to that of a psychic or seer who taught the hidden things of God. Jesus “taught the people with authority,” and not like their usual scribes and teachers (Matt 7:29).

Further associated meanings of the word nazarean which followed the Christians northeast towards Syria, may stem from the Hebrew noseri, having to do with knowledge. In Jeremiah 31:6 the word noserim is translated as watchmen on the mountains of Ephraim. Another possible translation is heralds. Watchmen have knowledge of what is going on; heralds transmit this knowledge. The Hebrew word noserim can also be associated with the Greek word gnostic, also having connotations of knowledge. Thus, the followers of Jesus  in the early centuries besides being termed Christians, were often called Nazareans or Gnostics depending on the language of the area.

The Nazarite vow, another possible religious connection with the name Nazarean, is mentioned in the Old Testament. Early in Jewish history, there were people called Nazarites who dedicated themselves to God in a special way. Numbers 6 describes the Nazarite obligations. Adherents are to abstain from wine and strong drink. They are to let their hair grow (or cut it if it becomes contaminated). They are not to go near a corpse. They are to observe certain offering rituals. One of these is an offering of two turtle doves or two young pigeons. Another has to do with a lamb without blemish. A third specifies a ram and unleavened bread. At some point the hair of the offerer is shaved and put into the fire with the offering. Hair had a similar symbolism to blood. Blood was the life of the body; hair proved the strength of the mind. We are told of Absalom’s long flowing hair and the weight of it (II Samuel 14:26).

Some of these offering items have a familiar ring. We know that Joseph and Mary made an offering of birds at the Purification (Luke 2:22-24). The consecrated hosts of the Catholics are made of unleavened bread. Certain Christians refer to Jesus as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.

These Nazarite regulations were not written down in this Numbers 6 form until about the 7th century BC. From their content we know that the oral tradition is older. When the Jews participated in the Exodus in the 13th century BC, they observed the Canaanites in their promised territory, growing grape vines, harvesting wheat fields, and offering the fruit of their labors to strange deities. They felt that their God wanted them to be herders, and to use the land for forage for their flocks. They weren’t to build houses or plant fields, or to get in the habit of staying long enough in one place to let the bread rise. In their annoyance at the idol worship of the Canaanite farmers, they ostracized from the Hebrew community those who partook of the idol-offered foods of grapes and wheat. Even in later day Hosea 3:1 (8th century BC), worshipping idols is lumped together with the sin of partaking of raisin cakes. Besides being a Canaanite offering, wine was on the questionable list, as it could affect the mind, and thus make a person less capable of serving and praising God. Also related to the mind, was the shaving of the hair of the head. The hair is very close to the thinking apparatus, and earlier peoples saw a relationship between a full head of hair and an active brain willing to serve God. As the Hebrews settled down and offered the gifts of their labor to God, they became more accepting of farm produce, but the bad memory lingered on, and was incorporated into some of their religious ceremonies.

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. God bless you on your journeying.

Readings and Femily for 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year B: 2012,2016,2020,etc.

Reading 1 is from Jeremiah 23:1-6

Woe to the shepherds who mislead and scatter the flock of my pasture, says God. Therefore, thus says our God, the God of Israel, against the shepherds who shepherd my people: You have scattered my sheep and driven them away. You have not cared for them, but I will take care to punish your evil deeds. I myself will gather the remnant of my flock from all the lands to which I have driven them and bring them back to their meadow; there they shall increase and multiply. I will appoint shepherds for them who will shepherd them so that they need no longer fear and tremble; and none shall be missing, says our God. Behold, the days are coming, says our God, when I will raise up a righteous shoot to David; as king he shall reign and govern wisely, he shall do what is just and right in the land. In his days Judah shall be saved, Israel shall dwell in security. This is the name they give him: “The Just One.”

Responsorial Psalm is #23:1-6

Response: The Loving God is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

God is my shepherd; I shall not want. In verdant pastures God gives me repose.

Beside restful waters God leads me; God refreshes my soul.

Response: The Loving God is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

God guides me in right paths; even though I walk in the dark valley, I fear no evil;

For you are at my side with your rod and your staff to comfort me.

Response: The Loving God is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

You spread the table before me in the sight of my foes;

You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

Response: The Loving God is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

Only goodness and kindness will follow me all the days of my life;

And I shall dwell in the house of God for years to come.

Response: The Loving God is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

Reading 2 is from Ephesians 2:13-18

Brothers and sisters: In Christ Jesus you who once were far off have become near by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace, he who made both one and broke down the dividing wall of enmity, through his flesh, abolishing the law with its commandments and legal claims, that he might create in himself one new person in place of the two, thus establishing peace, and might reconcile both with God, in one body, through the cross, putting that enmity to death by it. He came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near, for through him we both have access in one Spirit to our Abba.

Gospel is from Mark 6:30-34

The apostles gathered together with Jesus and reported all they had done and taught. He said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.” People were coming and going in great numbers, and they had no opportunity even to eat. So they went off in the boat by themselves to a deserted place. People saw them leaving and many came to know about it. They hastened there on foot from all the towns and arrived at the place before them. When Jesus disembarked and saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things.

Femily: On Shepherds and Others

We complain about those who shepherd the flock in an unjust manner, but we try not to think about the injustices that we ourselves commit. Pedophile priests aren’t the only abusers, but we must keep in mind that not one of us is perfect. Pedophile priests molest children, and the abused sue the Catholic Church. Who does a parent sue when a teacher molests their child? Who can a prisoner sue when he or she is molested by a prison officer?

Unfortunately, some prison officers rape and sodomize prisoners, and no one believes the accusing story of the abused man or woman prisoner, although for a guard to rape a woman prisoner is a felony in New York State. The women cannot sue the Department of Corrections. Why?

In 2000 four guards at Westchester County Jail were convicted of rape and sodomy of female women prisoners. Were the women prisoners compensated for these atrocities? Were the officers imprisoned for this abuse of human rights?

When pictures of human rights abuses in foreign prisons are publicized, the American public is incensed because they don’t want U.S. soldiers and citizens treated so cruelly, if their citizens are in foreign prisons or hostile situations.

What about the human rights abuses that happen in the jails and prisons of America? Some prisoners are put in Special Housing Units, and have their clothing taken away, while male and female officers walk by. Some solitary prisoners are attacked by four or five officers to show who is in power, and try to break the prisoner’s spirit. Can’t we in the U.S. have a better performance record?

Instead of concentrating on people’s faults, we must think of ways on how to build the earth.

As we all are individuals with varying talents, we all have potential to make our own special contributions to the building of the earth. The building of the earth or the increasing of goodness and justice through evolutionary processes was described by Teilhard de Chardin. Humanity seems to be led onward towards perfection or the Omega Point by an urge built into our genes. We might define our present building of the earth as making best use of our gifts and also using our heads. We must examine the present situation in which the world is existing, and use our best thinking to carry humanity over the obstacles it faces. The methods we use will necessarily be different from those used in previous generations. We may even have to employ solutions that are exactly opposite to the solutions of other eras.

If one finds oneself in a life boat with two other people, and only enough food for one person, one reacts quite differently than if one is up above the lifeboat with plenty of food and the opportunity to give advice to the unfortunate trio below, that he cannot reach or supply. If one is living in Singapore one has quite a different outlook on the population problem of the earth, than if one is living in Greenland with a desire to keep humanity from committing the unhappy act of abortion. It takes a courageous person to speak against population control in India. People might easily say that such a person lacked complete understanding of the situation.

In building the earth we recognize many and varying talents. God has made us male and female with different degrees of sexual urge. Looking at this from an evolutionary viewpoint one might conclude that those of us with less sexual urgings, did not reproduce, and therefore that type of person disappeared from the ancestral tree. Our urgings were evidently given to us to reproduce, but surely they have other functions besides. Most of us do not mate at the drop of a hat, and then separate. We have certain friendly courtship proceedings before the sexual act, and frequently after the act, the partners continue to befriend one another and to support the offspring that may be the result of that act. Another evolutionary thread that might go along with the sexual act is a urge to support and befriend the sexual partner. It is not good for man to be alone, and the loners also may have been an evolutionary dead end. Humankind needs a partner, not just to bring children into the world, but for his own well being. We are sexual beings and these sexual beings need support.

We are both heterosexuals and homosexuals, again it is to be emphasized, with varying degrees of urgings.  When God gave man the command to multiply, it was given to humankind as a whole, and not to each person specifically. God surely understood that some of us are incapable of reproducing sexually. It is a sad fact that some women cannot bear children, and some men cannot produce viable sperm. In spite of these incapacities, we do not withhold from them the comfort of a marriage partnership. Is it in God’s justice to withhold a sexual partnership from any couple that desires it, or to force a partnership on anyone who does not feel so inclined? It is somehow incongruous for church authorities to compel one man to live his life as a eunuch, and to insist that another have only a woman as a partner, making no allowance for the individual’s genetic differences and personal preferences.

Both heterosexuality and homosexuality can contribute to the building of the earth. When homosexuality is purely momentary and recreational, it is probably wrong. Likewise when heterosexuality becomes purely recreational, it’s probably wrong and bypasses the greater purposes built into the evolutionary structure. Sex can become a distraction, and in such mode, is not supportive of the higher roles designed for it by God. The purpose of sex is not only to reproduce the race, but to encourage a man or a woman to form a good relationship with another human being.

We might say that homosexuality is allright when it supports empathy, caring love, and kindness (as these qualities build the earth and contribute to the good of the material order). In making our questionable human judgments on the problem of homosexuality, Charles Curran and other thinkers caution us to consider not only the physical act, but the relationship of caring. If the combination contributes to a greater fullness of God’s Spirit in the earth, then the act is probably OK.

If we use the above definition for the allowance of the homosexual act, and apply it to heterosexuality, we can come to the same conclusions. If the act is irresponsible and selfish, it should not be committed. If we use it for a curbing of sexual procedures and apply it to celibacy, we can likewise conclude that if celibacy does not contribute to an increase in empathy, caring love, and kindness in the earth (or is neutral), we should get rid of such requirements.

Can a married priest contribute effectively to the growth of the church? We often hear the argument that a celibate priest has more time for God’s work, and that a married man has the care of his wife and children uppermost in his mind. If we treat man as a machine that has complete control over his human nature, then surely any man can chose celibacy and devote all his mechanical working hours in the service of his religious duties. This supposed ability to chose also frees him very neatly from having obligations to another human being, such as a woman. This mechanical man is thus denied certain experiences of being responsible for and supportive of another, from which he might learn a lot about love, comradeship, and abnegation for the good of another.  It seems that all that is required of such a celibate mechanical man is that he perform certain religious functions, and the perfect God will see to all his needs. But man is not mechanical! He is gifted with human nature, and this human nature spurs man on, not only to go forth and multiply, but to become a comrade and a friend, through using the sexuality with which the God gifted him.

It would seem that a man of the fullest experience would be able to contribute the most to other men. If we are to believe that women differ from men, a man who had no experience of women, would not be able to help them greatly, if at all, with their problems. However, those who argue for the celibate priest feel that a man can learn about women from having had a mother, a woman who was usually kind and who tried to do what was best for her son, in spite of the natural selfcenteredness of his childhood. Some men may even turn to the priesthood because they cannot find a woman who will support their every whim as their mother did. Some men turn to other men, as a relationship with a man may demand less of them.

In a truly noble desire to serve God in God’s church, some men have gotten themselves into problems of life style. The leaders of the church have not given proper thought to this issue. Some of them may have attained their aim of celibacy, and would be unable to make self judgments on whether they are better or lesser men for being celibate. Of course if they have spent their lives believing in the necessity for a celibate life, they would not even want to admit to themselves that there might be a flaw in this whole celibacy regulation. They would be brainwashed in this area of thinking, and would never want to admit that in some cases homosexuality might be more birthing of the Spirit of God throughout the earth, than celibacy.

Is this a dangerous thought? Should any thoughts be considered dangerous? Can we apply the above manner of thinking to contraceptives? Do contraceptives often allow the birthing of God in a family situation (while preventing the birthing of another)? Can this type of thinking apply to abortion? Does an abortion ever contribute to greater love and empathy? Does the end (greater love and empathy) ever justify the means (abortion, celibacy, homosexuality)? Which is better, to overpopulate the earth so that millions die of starvation, or to use abortion, so that thousands die now? We must use our minds now in order to continue the positive evolutionary thrust towards maximum love and empathy.

We say that self-defense is OK, that the end justifies the means.  If we are to achieve a God filled earth, we may have to make difficult choices. Some might say that abortion is self-defense. It may have been unthinkable for previous eras, but new times may necessitate new solutions. Those who are against the taking of life, may even justify capital punishment for the criminal in their pursuit of the Omega Point (or God’s Realm on earth).

Each of us must make judgments in our personal lives as to how to achieve maximum good for ourselves and for those around us. Our judgments are often fallible. We can see how fallible when we look at crime. The criminal often justifies his action in terms of what he thinks is the greater good for him. The community attempts to override these personal decisions by making wise laws, in order to help the individual arrive at an optimum path. The wisdom of the community may have to come to new judgments about homosexuality and celibacy.

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. God bless you on your journeying.

Readings and Femily for 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year B: 2012,2016,2020,etc.

Reading 1 is from II Kings 4:42-44

A man came from Baal-shalishah bringing to Elisha, the man of God, twenty barley loaves made from the firstfruits, and fresh grain in the ear. Elisha said, “Give it to the people to eat.” But his servant objected, “How can I set this before a hundred people?” Elisha insisted, “Give it to the people to eat. For thus says God, ‘They shall eat and there shall be some left over.’” And when they had eaten, there was some left over, as God had said.

Responsorial Psalm is #145:10-11, 15-18

Response: The hand of God feeds us; God answers all our needs.

Let all your works give you thanks, O Holy God, and let your faithful ones bless you.

Let them discourse of the glory of your kingdom and speak of your might.

Response: The hand of God feeds us; God answers all our needs.

The eyes of all look hopefully to you, and you give them their food in due season;

You open your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing.

Response: The hand of God feeds us; God answers all our needs.

The Holy God is just in every way and holy in every works.

The Holy God is near to all who call, to all who call out in truth.

Response: The hand of God feeds us; God answers all our needs.

Reading 2 is from Ephesians 4:1-6

Brothers and sisters: I, a prisoner for Jesus Christ, urge you to live in a manner worthy of the call you have received, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another through love, striving to preserve the unity of the spirit through the bond of peace: one body and one Spirit, as you were also called to the one hope of your call; one Christ, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

Gospel is from John 6:1-15

Jesus went across the Sea of Galilee. A large crowd followed him, because they saw the signs he was performing on the sick. Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples. The Jewish feast of Passover was near. When Jesus raised his eyes and saw that a large crowd was coming to him, he said to Philip, “Where can we buy enough food for them to eat?” He said this to test him, because he himself knew what he was going to do. Philip answered him, “Two hundred days’ wages worth of food would not be enough for each of them to have a little.” One of his disciples, Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, said to him, “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish; but what good are these for so many?” Jesus said, “Have the people recline.” Now there was a great deal of grass in that place. So the men reclined, about five thousand in number. Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed them to those who were reclining, and also as much of the fish as they wanted. When they had had their fill, he said to his disciples, “Gather the fragments left over, so that nothing will be wasted.” So they collected them, and filled twelve wicker baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves that had been more than they could eat. When the people saw the sign he had done, they said, “This is truly the Prophet, the one who is to come into the world.” Since Jesus knew that they were going to come and carry him off to make him king, he withdrew again to the mountain alone.

Femily: The Leftovers

What do we do with our leftovers? For every good feast, there are liable to be leftovers. Often we give them to the late-leaving guests to take home.

What are we to do with the leftovers of our late economic orgy? We in the United States have treated ourselves with reckless indulgence;– drinking parties on yachts, gun shoots on Texas plantations, travels to tropical resorts with paid sexual partners, using expensive yet outdated weaponry on the poor of the world. Our politicians are so wrapped up in cultural excesses that they cannot see the orphans and widows in the Sudan and on the Gaza Strip.

Our leftovers may be what is left of our banking and stock market economic system, and we are giving away those meager finances to shore up wealthy corporations.

How can the politicians do this when we have seen that the Reagan ‘trickle down’ theory does not work!

How can we bring our politicians to Jesus on the hillside?

Jesus, as compassionate leadership, advised the people to sit down and relax. Then his disciples passed out the loving gift brought by a child, to those present. Then those guests were willing to dig into their pockets and to share what they had with one another. When the party was over, there were twelve wicker baskets full of leftovers for the disciples.

If we are willing to share our abundance with the poor of the world, with those in refugee camps, with those in prison, with those in war torn countries, with those suffering from disease and malnutrition; we will improve our chances for an economic and spiritual recovery. We could call this way to prosperity the ‘trickle up’ theory. When Jesus fed the people on the hillside, he used the ‘trickle up’ theory to demonstrate the distribution of material food and, more importantly, the distribution of spiritual food, to the assembled people. He showed us how to share.

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. God bless you on your journeying.

Readings and Femily for 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time - YearB: 2012,2016,2020,etc.

Reading 1 is from Exodus 16:2-4, 12-15

The whole Israelite community grumbled against Moses and Aaron. The Israelites said to them, “Would that we had died at God’s hand in the land of Egypt, as we sat by our fleshpots and ate our fill of bread! But you had to lead us into this desert to make the whole community die of famine!” Then God said to Moses, “I will now rain down bread from heaven for you. Each day the people are to go out and gather their daily portion; thus will I test them, to see whether they follow my instructions or not. “I have heard the grumbling of the Israelites. Tell them: In the evening twilight you shall eat flesh, and in the morning you shall have your fill of bread, so that you may know that I am your God.” In the evening quail came up and covered the camp. In the morning a dew lay all about the camp, and when the dew evaporated, there on the surface of the desert were fine flakes like hoarfrost on the ground. On seeing it, the Israelites asked one another, “What is this?” for they did not know what it was. But Moses told them, “This is the bread that our God has given you to eat.”

Responsorial Psalm is #78:3-4, 23-25, 54

Response: The Living God gave them bread from heaven.

What we have heard and know, and what our ancestors have declared to us,

We will declare to the generation to come the glorious deeds of God, and the wonders God wrought.

Response: The Living God gave them bread from heaven.

God commanded the skies above and opened the doors of heaven;

God rained manna upon them for food and gave them heavenly bread.

Response: The Living God gave them bread from heaven.

Humans ate the bread of angels, food God sent them in abundance.

God brought them to the holy land, to the mountains that God’s right hand had won.

Response: The Living God gave them bread from heaven.

Reading 2 is from Ephesians 4:17, 20-24

Brothers and sisters: I declare and testify that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds; that is not how you learned Christ, assuming that you have heard of him and were taught in him, as truth is in Jesus, that you should put away the old self of your former way of life, corrupted through deceitful desires, and be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and put on the new self, created in God’s way in righteousness and holiness of truth.

Gospel is from John 6:24-35

When the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they themselves got into boats and came to Capernaum looking for Jesus. And when they found him across the sea they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you get here?” Jesus answered them and said, “Amen, amen, I say to you, you are looking for me not because you saw signs but because you ate the loaves and were filled. Do not work for food that perishes but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Servant of Humanity will give you. For on him Abba God, has set a seal.” So they said to him, “What can we do to accomplish the works of God?” Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in the one he sent.” So they said to him, “What sign can you do, that we may see and believe in you? What can you do? Our ancestors ate manna in the desert, as it is written: He gave them bread from heaven to eat.” So Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave the bread from heaven; my Abba gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” So they said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.” Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst.”

Femily: Be Renewed in the Spirit of your Minds

Ephesians 4:23 speaks about the spirit of our minds. How should we go about such a spiritual renewal? The Gentiles live in the “futility of their minds.” To be renewed in the spirit of your minds is about the same thing as increasing your own self-esteem by helping those about you into more positive ways of seeing themselves and others. One place where helpers are needed in this regard, is inside the prisons of the world, where there is little self esteem in those kept, and in those who keep them. Humble volunteers who seek the well-being of others can be renewed in the spirit of their own minds through listening, through acceptance of differences, and through supportive comments.

What about our ability to renew the spirit of the minds of others, such as the transformation of those who are active in our government? Some senators and representatives and other people who take sides without proper information on the issues, have put our country into sad controversy on health care and other similar subjects. What can we do to transform the world and make health care and healing available to all people? There are paid lobbyists in Washington from the health insurance companies, the gun lobbyists, the Israeli lobbyists, the oil lobbyists, the weapons lobbyists, who seem to have little concern for the needs of women and children or the environment of the earth. Then, in opposition, there are the unpaid non-governmental lobbyists and ordinary citizens who have trouble getting appointments with their congressional representatives, who want health care for all, and would like to make a safe world for their children and their grandchildren. What can the Congress do to make our world a safe place for children? Sixty years ago the United Nations made up a document called the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. When this document is balanced against the demands of the paid lobbyists, we can soon see that what the lobbyists are opting for, does not respect the rights of the common people. What can Congress do to respect the human rights of all people?

Saying that everyone has the right to carry weapons that kill people is not good for our health, as those who work in emergency rooms can agree. A paid lobby to fund weapons for any foreign country is not good for the health of other countries or peoples. Large corporations, such as those who profit from the oil or gold of foreign countries, should not be given special privileges that take away from the livlihood of the poor in those other countries. Health care corporations should not put profits ahead of the health of those persons they are supposedly insuring.

For a peaceful world, Congress should stop funding arms for Israel and other supposed allies. There is a high probability that exported arms can end up in the hands of terrorists or be dumped on innocent populations such as in Gaza. Lebanese are still being killed or maimed by the bomblets left over from the 34 day war between Israel and Hezbollah. Does respect for the rights of all human beings fit in with massive surges of young soldiers marching into foreign countries?

Alternatives to Violence workshops can reduce the violence in prisons. Other educational programs help to increase inmate self-esteem. The U.S. Congress could be given a course in the principles behind the U.N. Declaration  of Human Rights, and make their laws according to what is good for all the people in the world. Many of the U.N. documents have been signed by the U.S., but they do not become U.S. law until they are ratified. If we want the Good News of Jesus to be reflected in the laws of our country, we must urge our congresspeople to ratify the Human Rights documents.

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” If you do not understand the workings of the United Nations, there is information on the Internet that can help you to promote the Millennium Development Goals and contribute to the welfare of the world. Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer.

Readings and Femily for 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time - YearB: 2012,2016,2020,etc.

Reading 1 is from I Kings 19:4-8

Elijah went a day’s journey into the desert, until he came to a broom tree and sat beneath it. He prayed for death saying: “This is enough, O my God! Take my life, for I am no better than my ancestors.” He lay down and fell asleep under the broom tree, but then an angel touched him and ordered him to get up and eat. Elijah looked and there at his head was a hearth cake and a jug of water. After he ate and drank, he lay down again, but the angel of God came back a second time, touched him, and ordered, “Get up and eat, else the journey will be too long for you!” He got up, ate, and drank; then strengthened by that food, he walked forty days and forty nights to the mountain of God, Horeb.

Responsorial Psalm is #34:2-9

Response: Taste and see the goodness of God.

I will bless God at all times; God’s praise shall be ever in my mouth.

Let my soul glory in God; the lowly will hear me and be glad.

Response: Taste and see the goodness of God.

Glorify God with me; let us together extol God’s name.

I sought the Loving God, and God answered me, and delivered me from all my fears.

Response: Taste and see the goodness of God.

Look to God that you may be radiant with joy, and your faces may not blush with shame.

When the afflicted person called out, God heard, and from all that distress God saved them.

Response: Taste and see the goodness of God.

The angel of God encamps around those who fear God and delivers them.

Taste and see how good God is; blessed is the person who takes refuge in God.

Response: Taste and see the goodness of God.

Reading 2 is from Ephesians: 4:30-5:2

Brothers and sisters: Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with which you were sealed for the day of redemption.  All bitterness, fury, anger, shouting, and reviling must be removed from you, along with all malice. And be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another as God has forgiven you in Christ. So be imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love, as Christ loved us and handed himself over for us as a sacrificial offering to God for a fragrant aroma.

Gospel is from John 6:41-51

The Jews murmured about Jesus because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven,” and they said, “Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph? Do we not know his father and mother? Then how can he say, ‘I have come down from heaven’?” Jesus answered and said to them, “Stop murmuring among yourselves. No one can come to me unless Abba who sent me draw them, and I will raise them on the last day. It is written in the prophets: They shall all be taught by God. Everyone who listens to my Abba and learns from God comes to me. Not that anyone has seen Abba except the one who is from God; that one has seen Abba. Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life. I am the bread of life. Your ancestors ate the manna in the desert, but they died; this is the bread that comes down from heaven so that one may eat it and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world.”

Femily: God’s Word from Heaven

Have you ever heard an angel speaking to you? In the first reading Elijah is very tired, and a persistent angel keeps urging him on. Perhaps the angel is just a friendly neighbor who believes in what Elijah is doing, and wants Elijah to keep on trying to correct the problems that surround both of them in their daily lives. Sometimes we play the part of Elijah; sometimes we are asked by God to play the part of the angel. We can see a family member or neighbor getting tired, and we can say, “My friend, you are doing a good job. Keep up the good work!” In the Gospel Jesus tells us that he is speaking God’s message to humankind. He is playing the part of the angel, and delivering God’s message. He has delivered the message for his generation and for future generations. He has given us the courage to go on. He has shown us the Way, the Truth, and the Life. We can get up and go on our journey, like Elijah, or we can carry God’s message of love to others, like the angel and like Jesus.

Can we be angelic help for one another? Can we listen to each other?

Women also need to be listened to. Most women abhor war. What woman will be made available, to organize and empathize with the women of Israel/Palestine? Who is ready to play the part of an angel?

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” God bless you on your journeying.

Readings and Femily for The Assumption Year B: August 15, 2010,2014,2018,etc.

Reading 1 is from Revelation 11:19; 12:1-10

God’s temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of God’s covenant could be seen in the temple. A great sign appeared in the sky, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. She was with child and wailed aloud in pain as she labored to give birth. Then another sign appeared in the sky; it was a huge red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and on its heads were seven diadems. Its tail swept away a third of the stars in the sky and hurled them down to the earth. Then the dragon stood before the woman about to give birth, to devour her child when she gave birth. She gave birth to a son, a male child, destined to rule all the nations with an iron rod. Her child was caught up to God and to God’s throne. The woman herself fled into the desert where she had a place prepared by God. Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: “Now have salvation and power come, and the Kingdom of our God and the authority of God’s Anointed One.”

Responsorial Psalm is #45:10-12, 16

Response: The queen stands at your right hand, arrayed in gold.

The queen takes her place at your right hand in gold of Ophir.

Hear, O daughter, and see; turn your ear, forget your people and your father’s house.

Response: The queen stands at your right hand, arrayed in gold.

So shall the king desire your beauty; for he is your lord.

They are borne in with gladness and joy; they enter the palace of the king.

Response: The queen stands at your right hand, arrayed in gold.

Reading 2 is from I Corinthians 15:20-27

Brothers and sisters: Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through humans, the resurrection of the dead came also through humans. For just as in Adam all die, so too in Christ shall all be brought to life, but each one in proper order: Christ the firstfruits; then, at his coming, those who belong to Christ; then comes the end, when he hands over the Kingdom to his God and Father, when he has destroyed every sovereignty and every authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death, for “he subjected everything under his feet.”

Gospel is from Luke 1:39-56

Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And how does this happen, that the mother of the Messiah should come to me? For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by our God would be fulfilled.” And Mary said: “My soul proclaims the greatness of God; my spirit rejoices in God my Savior who has looked with favor on this lowly servant. From this day all generations will call me blessed. The Almighty has done great things for me and holy is God’s Name. God has mercy on those who obey in every generation. God has shown great strength and has scattered the proud in their conceit. God has cast down the mighty from their thrones, and has lifted up the lowly. God has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich have been sent away empty. God has come to the help of the servant Israel and has remembered the promise of mercy that was made to our fathers, to Abraham and his children forever.” Mary remained with her about three months and then returned to her home.

Femily: Blessed are you who believe!

What do two friends say to each other when they haven’t seen each other for a long time? Sometimes the heart is too full to say any words at all. What better way to respond to a loved one than to give them a blessing! But how many of us bless our loved ones face-to-face. We pray for them in the quiet of our minds, but face-to-face we talk about trivialities. When do we praise God out loud for all the great things God has done for us? In our present time of economic distress, do we thank God for casting the mighty from their thrones and filling the hungry with good things? The next time we greet a friend let us remember to say good words that really matter, and that will uplift the soul of the person we love. Let us give them special blessings. Let us remember to bless those who are in trouble and those who are hurt and in need of healing. I am sending the blessing of wholeness and faith to all of you who are reading these words.

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. God bless you on your journeying.

Readings and Femily for 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time - YearB 2012,2016,2020,etc.

Reading 1 is from Proverbs 9:1-6

Wisdom has built her house, she has set up her seven columns. She has dressed her meat, mixed her wine; yes, she has spread her table. She has sent out her maidens; she calls from the heights out over the city:— “Let whoever is simple, turn in here; to him who lacks understanding, I say, Come, eat of my food, and drink of the wine I have mixed! Forsake foolishness that you may live; advance in the way of understanding.”

Responsorial Psalm is #34:2-7

Response: Taste and see the goodness of God.

I will bless the Loving God at all times; God’s praise shall be ever in my mouth.

Let my soul glory in our God; the lowly will hear me and be glad.

Response: Taste and see the goodness of God.

Glorify God with me, let us together extol God’s name.

I sought God, and God answered me and delivered me from all my fears.

Response: Taste and see the goodness of God.

Look to him that you may be radiant with joy, and your faces may not blush with shame.

When the poor one called out, God heard, and from all their distress God saved them.

Response: Taste and see the goodness of God.

Reading 2 is from Ephesians 5:15-20

Brothers and sisters: Watch carefully how you live, not as foolish persons but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore, do not continue in ignorance, but try to understand what is the will of God. And do not get drunk on wine, in which lies debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and playing to God in your hearts, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of Jesus Christ.

Gospel is from John 6:51-58

Jesus said to the crowds: “I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world.” The Jews quarreled among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Servant of Humanity and drink his blood, you do not have life within you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him. Just as the living Abba sent me and I have life because of Abba, so also the one who feeds on me will have life because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died, whoever eats this bread will live forever.”

Femily: Abba Has Sent Me!

These words of Jesus resound in the hearts of people everywhere who feel God’s purposes working through their lives. Do you also feel that God has sent you, that you have been given a task to do by the God who created all things? There is much that could be said about women’s ordination and the renewal of the earth. There are women who feel the call to give their flesh and blood (or dedicate their lives), so that others may lead fulfilled lives.

The Pope states that the church has no authority whatsoever to confer priestly ordination on women, that priestly ordination is to be reserved to men alone. He is quite right that papal authority does not include the ordination of women. It is questionable that male ordination is under papal authority. When we see the inabilities of some people that have been “ordained” through churchly laying on of hands, we see what mistakes can be made when men are allowed to ordain one another.

We must realize that God is the one who ordains. God is the one who calls and chooses. Those of us who hear this call, respond, accept, and live out God’s love through dedicated lives, are the ordained ones. We do not need men’s approval or the laying on of hands that are tied to politics and power.

Like the self-righteous Pharisees of Jesus’ time, church leaders find it convenient to be politically correct and to bow to human judgments. Those truly ordained by God are required to be understanding of the other, be it woman, homosexual, foreigner, or someone of different faith. God has made and loves us all. God can ordain anyone of us to respond to God’s call for loving service.

Perhaps the magisterium is feeling that being a universal church for the whole earth is too big a task, and that being a small clique of celibate males under the authority of the Pope, is more acceptable than listening to the voice of God as it comes through all peoples of the earth.

Canon Law states that: “all the faithful, by virtue of their Baptism, enjoy a radical equality.” Baptism by desire can include all those who worship a higher benign being and dedicate their lives to their understanding of that being.

John Paul II stated the following in 1983 when promulgating the new Code of Canon Law:—

(1) The Church must be seen as the People of God; (2) Hierarchical authority must be understood as service; (3) The church should be viewed as a communion; (4) All members of the Church should participate in the three-fold functions of Christ: teaching, governing, making holy; (5) Rights and obligations for all Catholics flow from these; and (6) The Church is committed to ecumenism and dialogue. (ARCC Light, Volume 16 #5, July 1994, page 2)

How can we enlarge John Paul’s statement to include the whole earth? We watch in horror as countries around the earth dissolve in the pandemonium of militarism, starvation, hatreds, and disorder. If ever the world and its peoples needed loving guidance and understanding, the time is now. Will the Church step forward with suggestions that will save and serve all the people of the earth? Or will the Church find it more important to decide who should wear its long robes and other decorations? Are the Pope and his appointed cardinals more interested in greetings in the market place, and cheers for their standing upon podiums proclaiming about righteousness, or are they willing to accept the homosexual, the prisoner, the prostitute, and any female as their equal? What better sign could the Pope give as a token of his recognition of the brother/sister hood of all humanity, than to agree to the priesthood of women and married people?

A new world could come into being more quickly if all faiths united to accept the marvelous diversity found in humanity. The Faiths as we know them today could promote dedication and democracy among their own members. Our particular Church is organized for the easy implementation of covenant and consensus, the dedication to God and responsible community understanding. Through the guidance of serving leaders or facilitators, all peoples could be educated to believe in the importance of each individual. All religions could be respected. All religions could encourage their membership to enjoy the diversity of peoples which God created.

Think about the words of Pope John XXIII:— Consult not your fears but your hopes and your dreams. Think not about your frustrations, but about your unfulfilled potential. Concern yourself not with what you tried and failed in, but with what it is still possible for you to do. For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. God bless you on your journeying.

Readings and Femily for 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year B: 2012,2016,2020,etc.

Reading 1 is from Joshua 24:1-2, 15-18

Joshua gathered together all the tribes of Israel at Shechem, summoning their elders, their leaders, their judges, and their officers. When they stood in ranks before God, Joshua addressed all the people: “If it does not please you to serve our God, decide today whom you will serve, the gods your fathers served beyond the River or the gods of the Amorites in whose country you are now dwelling. As for me and my household, we will serve our God.” But the people answered, “Far be it from us to forsake our God for the service of other gods. For it was our God, who brought us and our fathers up out of the land of Egypt, out of a state of slavery. God performed those great miracles before our very eyes and protected us along our entire journey and among the peoples through whom we passed. Therefore we also will serve our God, who alone is God.”

Responsorial Psalm is #34:2-3, 16-21

Response: Taste and see the goodness of God.

I will bless God at all times; God’s praise shall be ever in my mouth.

Let my soul glory in God; the lowly will hear me and be glad.

Response: Taste and see the goodness of God.

God has eyes for the just, and ears for their cry.

God confronts the evildoers, to destroy remembrance of them from the earth.

Response: Taste and see the goodness of God.

When the just cry out, God hears them, and from all their distress God rescues them.

God is close to the brokenhearted; and those who are crushed in spirit God saves.

Response: Taste and see the goodness of God.

Many are the troubles of the just, but out of them all God delivers them;

God watches over all their bones; not one of them shall be broken.

Response: Taste and see the goodness of God.

Reading 2 is from Ephesians 5:21-32

Brothers and sisters: Be subordinate to one another out of reverence for Christ. Wives should be subordinate to their husbands as to God. For the husband is head of his wife just as Christ is head of the church, Christ himself the savior of the body. As the church is subordinate to Christ, so wives should be subordinate to their husbands in everything.

Brothers and sisters: Live in love, as Christ loved us. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ loved the church and handed himself over for her to sanctify her, cleansing her by the bath of water with the word, that he might present to himself the church in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. So also husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one hates his own flesh but rather nourishes and cherishes it, even as Christ does the church, because we are members of his body. For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. This is a great mystery, but I speak in reference to Christ and the church.

Gospel is from John 6:60-69

Many of Jesus’disciples who were listening said, “This saying is hard; who can accept it?” Since Jesus knew that his disciples were murmuring about this, he said to them, “Does this shock you? What if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? It is the spirit that gives life, while the flesh is of no avail. The words I have spoken to you are Spirit and life. But there are some of you who do not believe.” Jesus knew from the beginning the ones who would not believe and the one who would betray him. And he said, “For this reason I have told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by my Father.” As a result of this, many of his disciples returned to their former way of life and no longer accompanied him. Jesus then said to the Twelve, “Do you also want to leave?” Simon Peter answered him, “Master, to whom shall we go?  You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God.”

Femily: On Subordinates and Subordination

Reading 2 begins, “Brothers and Sisters, be subordinate to one another out of reverence for Christ.” This is a good statement and encourages community well being. Wives are to respect their husbands and, in a similar manner, husbands are to respect their wives. We are to respect one another, because we believe in the message of Christ which is contained in the phrase, “Love one another as I have loved you.” We keep in mind the words of the Gospel, “Master, you have the words of eternal life.” The Word of Jesus is “Love one another!”

When we divide the word ‘subordination’ up into two parts, we have the words ‘sub’ and ‘ordination’. SUB implies support from underneath. ORDINATION is a gift from God to those who are able to share their lives in service to others. Those who believe in the message of Jesus, brothers and sisters, men and women, should be willing to respect the Spirit of God that they can find in each other. Men should be willing to allow qualified women to serve the community in the same manner as qualified men serve in the community. Qualified men and qualified women are those who give respect to the rest of the community, because they want to work for the fulfillment of other members of the community who are less able to help themselves. Our prayer to the Good Spirit becomes: “Loving Spirit, we are able. Help us to help others.”

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. God bless you on your journeying.

Readings and Femily for 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year B: 2012,2016,2020,etc.

Reading 1 is from Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 6-8

Moses said to the people: “Now, Israel, hear the statutes and decrees which I am teaching you to observe, that you may live, and may enter in and take possession of the land which the God of your fathers, is giving you. In your observance of the commandments of God, which I enjoin upon you, you shall not add to what I command you nor subtract from it. Observe the commandments carefully, for thus will you give evidence of your wisdom and intelligence to the nations, who will hear of all these statutes and say, ‘This great nation is truly a wise and intelligent people.’ For what great nation is there that has gods so close to it as our God is to us whenever we call? Or what great nation has statutes and decrees that are as just as this whole law which I am setting before you today?”

Responsorial Psalm is #15:2-5

Response: One who does justice will live in the presence of God.

Whoever walks blamelessly and does justice;

Who thinks the truth in her heart and slanders not with her tongue.

Response: One who does justice will live in the presence of God.

Who harms not her fellow human being, nor takes up a reproach against her neighbor;

By whom the reprobate is despised, while she honors those who fear God.

Response: One who does justice will live in the presence of God.

Who lends not her money at usury and accepts no bribe against the innocent.

Whoever does these things shall never be disturbed.

Response: One who does justice will live in the presence of God.

Reading 2 is from James 1:17-18, 21-22, 27

Dearest brothers and sisters: All good giving and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Abba of lights, with whom there is no alteration or shadow caused by change. God willed to give us birth by the word of truth that we may be a kind of firstfruits of God’s creatures. Humbly welcome the word that has been planted in you and is able to save your souls. Be doers of the word and not hearers only, deluding yourselves. Religion that is pure and undefiled before God our Abba is this: to care for orphans and widows in their affliction and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

Gospel is from Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23

When the Pharisees with some scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus, they observed that some of his disciples ate their meals with unclean, that is, unwashed, hands. For the Pharisees and, in fact, all Jews, do not eat without carefully washing their hands, keeping the tradition of the elders. And on coming from the marketplace they do not eat without purifying themselves. And there are many other things that they have traditionally observed, the purification of cups and jugs and kettles and beds. So the Pharisees and scribes questioned him, “Why do your disciples not follow the tradition of the elders but instead eat a meal with unclean hands?” He responded, “Well did Isaiah prophesy about you hypocrites, as it is written: This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines human precepts. You disregard God’s commandment but cling to human tradition.” He summoned the crowd again and said to them, “Hear me, all of you, and understand. Nothing that enters one from outside can defile that person; but the things that come out from within are what defile. “For it is from within, from the heart, that come evil thoughts, unchastity, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, licentiousness, envy, blasphemy, arrogance, folly. All these evils come from within, and they are what defile.”

Femily: Traditions of the Elders (Ten Commandments taken from a homily by RC)

Most of us like to eat our food with clean hands, and we wash our fruits and vegetables before we eat them, because we worry about germs; but we often forget to cleanse our minds. In the Gospel reading, Jesus is telling the people that it is more important to have clean hearts than to have clean hands. It is more productive to care for widows and orphans than to wash pots and pans. So often, we respect the traditions of the elders, and forget to be kind to the people around us. For Jesus, the great commandment was “Love your neighbor as yourself.” In the first reading Moses speaks to the people about the Ten Commandments. Jesus says that if we love our neighbor, we will fulfill the true justice contained in the other commandments. If we love our neighbor, we do not need to follow the questionable traditions or the commandments of those in authority. If those in authority tell us to kill, we are to consult our heart to see if this killing is in line with Jesus’ admonition to love one’s neighbor.

Should governing bodies operate on a ethic of patriotism, saying, “My country (or party) right or wrong.” Or should they consider the well-being of the people they represent?

Is the God of Moses a God of war or a God of compassion?

Is the God of Jesus a God of war or a God of compassion?

One myth that is found in the Traditions of the Elders is that our God is a God of war. It is said that God will lead us in battle so that we can possess the land. Does this idea of God hold up with Jesus’ admonition to love and respect other people? Furthermore, do the Ten Commandments advise us to go to war? Let us look at the Ten Commandments to see if they suggest war as the way to relate to other peoples of the world. Do we remember the Ten Commandments? The First Commandment is:

1. YOU SHALL HONOR NO OTHER GOD BUT ME.

It is Against: worship of self, others, things like money, sex, and power, or the state.

It is For: seeking first the way that Jesus taught; believing in a loving and forgiving God who wills the free growth and fulfillment of every person.

2. YOU SHALL NOT MISUSE THE NAME OF GOD.

Against: disrespect for God, his creation, and all he stands for.

For: respect of the mystery of God, the beauty of all creation, and the dignity of all persons as children of God.

3. YOU SHALL KEEP HOLY THE SABBATH.

Against: ignoring the reality of God; refusal to acknowledge God’s love and forgiveness.

For: ever increasing gratitude and joy for God’s gift of life and the opportunity to grow; periodic re-commitment to the way of living taught by God.

4. YOU SHALL HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER.

Against: any force or influence that weakens family life or community solidarity.

For: that behavior which builds loving relationships, within the family and much beyond;

5. YOU SHALL NOT KILL.

Against: physical or mental violence to others; those who deny the sacredness of human life, or deny others their dignity, or dehumanize others.

For: the honoring of every human life, with respect, empathy, caring love, and kindness; and the creation of environments which permit freedom and justice and the full growth of every human being.

6. YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY.

Against: treating persons solely as sex objects, and dehumanizing sexuality.

For: human dignity and fulfillment of the total person in light of covenant love.

7. YOU SHALL NOT STEAL.

Against: stealing personal property, denying essential human rights; reducing personal respect and dignity; or withholding forgiveness.

For: protection from discrimination, separatism, and economic exploitation; overcoming institutional oppression; caring for the poor; and granting forgiveness generously.

8. YOU SHALL NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS AGAINST YOUR NEIGHBOR.

Against: lying, cheating, ruining another’s reputation, or deceit for personal gain.

For: respect for the worth of every person; respect for truth and honesty.

9. YOU SHALL NOT COVET YOUR NEIGHBOR’S WIFE.

Against: Unbridled lust, and permission of disordered passions.

For: the conscious steering of all human emotion, recognizing the value of all humans as wonderful creations of God and worthy of caring love and reverence.

10. YOU SHALL NOT COVET YOUR NEIGHBOR’S GOODS.

Against: greed, or exploiting of others or the environment.

For: love of creation, loving care for the world’s environment, valuing personal relationships above material goods; creating and using wealth for constructive purposes.

The Ten Commandments don’t say much about nation going to war against nation.

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. Meditate on the Ten Commandments and compare the God of Moses with the God of Jesus. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people in my country? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. God bless you on your journeying.

Readings and Femily for 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time – Year B: Sept.9,2012; 2016,2020

Reading 1 is from Isaiah 35:4-7

Thus says our God: Say to those whose hearts are frightened: Be strong, fear not! Here is your God, who comes with vindication; with divine recompense God comes to save you. Then will the eyes of the blind be opened, the ears of the deaf be cleared; then will the lame leap like a stag, then the tongue of the mute will sing. Streams will burst forth in the desert, and rivers in the steppe. The burning sands will become pools, and the thirsty ground, springs of water.

Responsorial Psalm is #146:7-10

Response: Praise God, my soul!

The God of Jacob keeps faith forever, secures justice for the oppressed,

Gives food to the hungry. Our God sets captives free.

Response: Praise God, my soul!

Our God gives sight to the blind and raises up those who were bowed down.

Our God loves the just; our God protects strangers.

Response: Praise God, my soul!

The fatherless and the widow God sustains, but the way of the wicked God thwarts.

Our God shall reign forever; our God, O Zion, through all generations. Alleluia.

Response: Praise God, my soul!

Reading 2 is from James 2:1-5

My brothers and sisters, show no partiality as you adhere to the faith in our glorious Messiah. For if a person with gold rings and fine clothes comes into your assembly, and a poor person in shabby clothes also comes in, and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes and say, “Sit here, please,” while you say to the poor one, “Stand there,” or “Sit at my feet,” have you not made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil designs? Listen, my beloved brothers and sisters. Did not God choose those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom that was promised to those who faithfully love?

Gospel is from Mark 7:31-37

Again Jesus left the district of Tyre and went by way of Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, into the district of the Decapolis. People brought to him a deaf person who had a speech impediment and begged Jesus to lay his hand on them. Jesus took him off away from the crowd. He put his finger into the man’s ears and, spitting, touched his tongue; then he looked up to heaven and groaned, and said to him,“Ephphatha!”— that is, “Be opened!” And immediately the man’s ears were opened, his speech impediment was removed, and he spoke plainly. He ordered them not to tell anyone. But the more he ordered them not to, the more they proclaimed it. They were exceedingly astonished and they said, “He has done all things well. He both makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.”

Femily: Care of the Poor

Jesus came with an agenda that included healing and care of the poor. Do we in the United States care for our poor? Do we think that healing for the poor is an item to place high on our political agenda? How do we react when a poor person appears in our midst? What seat do we choose when we enter a train or subway or bus and find a poorly dressed man with an empty seat beside him, and a well-dressed man with a gold ring with a vacant place?

Thinking about our present economic situation, are our laws made for poor people, or do we make our laws and services to protect the wealth of the rich? If a shipwrecked man is cast up on the shores of a banana plantation, who would condemn him for grabbing and eating a banana? If a hungry person living in the neighborhood of the banana plantation, helped himself to a banana, would we think he was acting illegally? If a well-to-do person took and ate a banana, would that be stealing? If this well-to-do person was a friend or associate of the people running the plantation, and at some future date, openly thanked the officials in charge, for the fruit, how would we judge him? Would our ethical system find it distasteful if this person ate half the banana, and threw the other half away, wastefully?

Pope John Paul’s Encyclical on Social Concerns states that the earth is made for all. Thomas Aquinas has already emphasized that the poor has the right to supply himself from the riches of others. When in dire need, it is no sin to take another’s property to preserve life.

How far can we carry this belief?  In New York City the poor need a place to live. There are many apartments that are empty because the rich or those of the middle class hope to make a profit on them. Do the homeless have a right to those apartments?

Having been educated in a capitalist society, most of us would answer that the apartment owner has worked by the sweat of his brow, for that apartment and for whatever profit might come to him, and that they deserves their reward.  It would not be fair for someone who had done no work, to move in, rent free, and profit from the industriousness of a stranger.  We cannot compare this expensive enterprise with a lowly banana.  Most of us would agree that it is allright to share a banana with the starving, but going a little too far to donate an apartment.

We would also probably agree that it is scandalous that so many people in the New York City area, especially women and children, have no homes. Our welfare hotels are full, and flow out into the street. Westchester and Dutchess counties pay tremendous rates to put up women and their children in area motels, and seem paralyzed to construct affordable housing.  As motels usually have no kitchens, extra money is needed for fast food. Busing back to the original schools of the children, increases the cost of the welfare package. Can we shrug our shoulders and say that this is no concern of ours, that our lawmakers are taking care of the problem?

The early Hebrews had this same problem of people running up against hard times. In Leviticus 25 they set forth a Jubilee proposal. We don’t know how many people used this Jubilee method, but it seems a little more friendly and people-oriented than disaster insurance. The Jubilee Regulations return the land to the original owner. Fifty years may be quite a long time when you have lost your land, but if the person who has taken over your property knows that eventually it will return to you, he may allow you to share it with him, so that you will, in turn, be generous with him. Perhaps this Jubilee Justice idea will help the Israelis to return the land that they have occupied, to the Palestinians.

A contemporary model of the Sabbatical, or seventh year regulations, can be seen in the opportunity given to professors in some universities to study specialties of their choice.  If set in place in the total population, it might mean that every seventh year, one seventh of the population would live on public welfare and would do the volunteer work that they believed would best serve the needs of others. Thus there would always be one seventh of the men and women freely contributing towards the good of the greater community.

Profits are a very important part of our present American capitalistic society. We need money to educate our children effectively, and to set aside for our old age. We also seek profits, as with such profits, we can increase our material possessions. The Jubilee-Sabbatical model doesn’t seem to encourage the making of profits.

Other sections of the Bible seem to downgrade the accumulation of wealth. The rich young man in Mark 10 was very ethical and very wealthy, but discouraged by Jesus’ response.

In Isaiah 3:14 Yahweh calls to judgment the elders of the people; “You are the ones who destroy the vineyard and conceal what you have stolen from the poor.  By what right do you crush my people and grind the faces of the poor?”

‘Grinding the faces of the poor’ sounds like a very violent process. Are we ‘grinding the faces of the poor’ with our negligent health care system? Do we contribute to the agenda of Jesus by giving a helping hand to the poor of the earth?

Let us pray a short prayer to help us see the needs of those around us and to do what we can to help people with their needs.

Gracious God, we come before you asking for the spiritual and material needs of both the poor and the rich. We believe that you love all peoples, and desire the fulfillment of the earth. We ask you for the strength to be part of your caring process. Amen.

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people in my country? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. God bless you on your journeying.

Readings and Femily for 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year B:2012,2016,2020,etc.

Reading 1 is from Isaiah 50:5-9a

The Loving God opens my ear that I may hear; and I have not rebelled, have not turned back. I gave my back to those who beat me, my cheeks to those who plucked my beard; my face I did not shield from buffets and spitting. The Loving God is my help, therefore I am not disgraced; I have set my face like flint, knowing that I shall not be put to shame. God is near who upholds my right; if anyone wishes to oppose me, let us appear together. Who disputes my right? Let that person confront me. See, the Loving God is my help; who will prove me wrong?

Responsorial Psalm is #116:1-6, 8-9

Response: I will walk before God, in the land of the living.

I love God because God hears my voice in supplication,

And listens to me when I call.

Response: I will walk before God, in the land of the living.

The cords of death encompassed me; I fell into distress and sorrow,

And I called upon the name of God, “O Loving God, save my life!”

Response: I will walk before God, in the land of the living.

Gracious is God and just; yes, our God is merciful.

The Loving God keeps the little ones; I was brought low, and God saved me.

Response: I will walk before God, in the land of the living.

For God has freed my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling.

I shall walk before God in the land of the living.

Response: I will walk before God, in the land of the living.

Reading 2 is from James 2:14-18

What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save them? If a brother or sister has nothing to wear and has no food for the day, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, keep warm, and eat well,” but you do not give them the necessities of the body, what good is it? So also faith of itself, if it does not have works, is dead. Indeed someone might say, “You have faith and I have works. Demonstrate your faith to me without works, and I will demonstrate my faith to you from my works.”

Gospel is from Mark 8:27-35

Jesus and his disciples set out for the villages of Caesarea Philippi. Along the way he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” They said in reply, “John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others one of the prophets.”  And he asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter said to him in reply, “You are the Christ.” Then he warned them not to tell anyone about him. He began to teach them that the Servant of Humanity must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and rise after three days. He spoke this openly. Then Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. At this he turned around and, looking at his disciples, rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do.” He summoned the crowd with his disciples and said to them, “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and that of the gospel will save it.”

Femily: What is a Messiah?

Peter declared to Jesus, that Jesus was The Messiah. Did Peter mean that Jesus was The Messiah who was promised to the Jews, or did Peter mean that Jesus was The Messiah for all time? Was there an on-going myth about holy people, and do we have such myths today? Did the disciples of Jesus know something that we don’t know? Are we still waiting for Messiahs to come to lead us, or are we not to expect any more great religious leaders after Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and Mohammed? Another word for a notably holy person is an avatar. A mythical idea contained in the Hindu religious traditions could be useful to us and might possibly broaden our theological viewpoints. It could inspire us to become better Christ-bearers and urge us forward on the pathway to being guardians and builders of our world.

Many of us when considering Indian Hinduism from the cultural platform of the United States, have the tendency to conclude that all Hindus have a consistent creed and common beliefs. In fact Hindus have a multitude of sects, comparable to the diversification in Christianity. About the only belief that they hold in common is that it is allright to be different, that there are many paths up the mountain.

We also may offhandedly assume that worship of idols originated in India and that those of us who worship the One God had better steer clear of such heathen practices. However, artistic Indian statuary shows an early Greek influence, and many Hindus will assure you that they do not worship idols. They will affirm their belief in the One Creator-Sustainer, and Hindu statues represent to Hindu believers the Creator’s many aspects.  We of the West can usually meditate on divinity without the help of statuary, and are more inclined to describe God’s attributes by the use of words.

In order to help the individual to relate to Ultimate Being, God is sometimes represented by a Trinity,— Brahma (the Creator), Vishnu (the Helper), and Siva (the Destroyer and Renewer). It must be stressed that all Hindus do not think this way. Some name the Great Soul of the Beginning, Atman, as the Creator. At one point in Indian thought, the God Varuna almost became the sole, supreme being, a Hindu national God comparable to the Jewish Yahweh of the Davidic era. Some Indians do see God as multiplicity. One section of the Hindu holy writings lists 33 gods and 3306 devas or demi-gods, but finally reduces them all to one, designated as Prana, which means life-power or breath-of-life.

Different Hindu sects often adhere to the worship of One God under its various names.  I do not say ‘his’ or ‘her’ names, as Buddhist and Hindu thought often consider God as a neuter. As creation of a human takes both a male and female, God, as creator, must contain both these aspects, and is not one or the other. The Saivites continue this idea of God containing all opposites, in their affirmation of the God Siva, who may be a theological offshoot of the Zoroastrian dualism of good and evil.  Siva is the One who destroys, but also the One who picks up the pieces. A God representation with a frightening face is usually that of Siva. Similar Christian thought is that we must destroy our selfishness, if we are to be renewed with a generous heart. The Vaisnavites are concerned with their present condition, and see their God Vishnu as the Preserver. For them, God is more personal, one who is ready to help them in time of need. Vishnu is credited with breaking into history in various forms, called avatars, which would help the people when they were in desperate straits.

The avatar idea became prevalent in Hindu and Buddhist theology about the second century BCE. Ancient myths were given new twists to support this theory. The descents or incarnations of Vishnu are usually ten, though some versions list a total of twenty four. In each of the ten appearances the full essence of God is believed to have taken on flesh, in order to save the world from threatened destruction.

The Christian Judaic tradition believes that Noah was saved from the flood by God telling him to build an ark.  In the first incarnation of the Vaisnavite tradition, Vishnu turned itself into a fish to save Manu (the first person whom we call Adam) from the flood. The second incarnation was a turtle. Both fish and turtle again give us the idea of a neuter God.

The third avatar brings us closer to the idea of a warrior male God. The name is Varaha which is similar to the name Varuna, which comes from the Greek Uranus. The various god-names of India easily transfer characteristics and devotees, and eventually Varuna became associated with the water, such as the Greek god Neptune. The legend goes that there was a calamity that caused the earth to begin sinking under water. Vishnu turned itself into a wild boar which lifted the sinking earth on its tremendous tusk. Thus humankind had a place to dwell.

The situation that brought on the fourth avatar, was a demon who had been guaranteed that he would be slain by neither man nor beast, on neither day nor night. This dilemna required a very special solution, and Vishnu incarnated in a man-lion, which was neither man nor beast, and slew the demon at twi-light, which was neither day nor night.  This is a fanciful story but many theological implications can be drawn from it. It may be saying that when things look impossible, God will come into our lives and do the miraculous to preserve the creation and its inhabitants.

God also is credited with a sense of humor. Another demon had control of the world and its inhabitants, and Vishnu incarnated as a tiny dwarf.  He approached the demon and asked if all the land that he strode over in several strides could be relinquished for humanity. Of course the demon agreed, because how much land could a tiny dwarf cover?  Vishnu suddenly grew into a giant, and strode across the whole earth!  As a consequence, we are all free of the demon. There is a Nordic tale of a plowman that contains this same theme. We can see a theological similarity with the parable of the mustard seed, small starts growing into the Kingdom of God (Luke 13:18, 19).

The next avatars are all full size men. This list contains no women. Appearances six and seven have to do with Rama. Number eight is Krishna, and nine is Buddha.These three are frequently worshipped as deity in their own right, as being normal human beings totally imbued with the presence or essence of God.

For some the tenth incarnation of Vishnu is yet to come. It is believed that God, the Hindu Kalkin or Buddhist Maitreya, will come to save humanity, if the world is destroyed by flood, fire, or calamity. Some Hindus would insert Jesus as the tenth avatar, as one who saved the people by showing them the way of true justice.

The Kalkin, or incarnation yet to come, is a late addition to the Vaisnavite myth which prophecies, “At the end of this dark age Vishnu will appear in the form of a person mounted on a white horse, with a flaming sword in their hand. This person will judge the wicked, reward the good, and restore the age of gold.” This description may come from or go before sources associated with the Christian Book of Revelation which describes the battle of the end times, “And now I saw heaven open, and a white horse appear; its rider was called Faithful and True and is a judge with integrity, a warrior for justice.”

The notion of avatar, or presence of God, is also to be found in the Hebrew scriptures, where God appears in the form of a man, to Abraham (Genesis 18) and also where God wrestles with Jacob (Genesis 32:23-32). The Jewish faith likewise expects a savior to come. Their term for this presence of God, or messenger of God, is Messiah.

If we look at the definition of avatar as incarnation, embodiment, or epiphany, and see that early Hindu theologians saw no harm in visualizing God in a fish, we might look at our present world and allegorically visualize God in the total community, or in any part of that community. An epiphany is a manifestation of God, and a community is certainly capable of making God’s love manifest. It is likewise true that an individual in certain of their actions, can make God’s love and concern manifest. To return to the fish as an instrument of God’s visibility, watching a fish can make a human being think of the wonder of God’s creation, and bring him closer to God. Even the stones will cry out God’s praises, if we humans fail to do the honors.

Returning to the Christian faith, the same notions of God incarnate in every human being that does God’s will, progress through the Gospel of John. In John 14:10 Jesus queries, “Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me?” John 14:20 enlarges on the theme, “On that day you will understand that I am in my Father and you in me and I in you.” Finally, John 14:23 proclaims, “If anyone loves me they will keep my word, and my Abba will love them, and we shall come to them and make our home with them.” If God makes God’s home in us, surely we are avatars, ready to display God’s love and care to humanity.

If the world today is on the brink of disaster, who will save it?  If we are to exercise God’s care for the earth and the earth-keepers, there appears to be certain actions we should take, and certain messages we should get across. We find in our present era those who are willing to tackle different aspects of God’s care for the world. There is the community of those who wish to clean up acid rain. Are they not avatars in their actions of attempting to save the world from ecological disaster?  There are those who oppose nuclear weapons, and suffer mutilation and prison. Are they not avatars as they bear their crosses?

Perhaps we should not look around expectantly for an avatar or a savior, but accept the responsibility ourselves for rescuing the earth from its dilemmas.  Are we not all capable of carrying within the essence of God? Could we all think of ourselves as avatars ?

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. God bless you on your journeying.

Readings and Femily for 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year B: 2012,2016,2020,etc.

Reading 1 is from Wisdom 2:12, 17-20

The wicked say: Let us beset the just one, because he is obnoxious to us; he sets himself against our doings, reproaches us for transgressions of the law and charges us with violations of our training. Let us see whether his words be true; let us find out what will happen to him. For if the just one be the carrier of God’s message, God will defend him and deliver him from the hand of his foes. With revilement and torture let us put the just one to the test that we may have proof of his gentleness and try his patience. Let us condemn him to a shameful death; for according to his own words, God will take care of him.

Responsorial Psalm is #54:3-6, 8

Response: The Loving God upholds my life.

O God, by your name save me, and by your might defend my cause.

O God, hear my prayer; hearken to the words of my mouth.

Response: The Loving God upholds my life.

For haughty people have risen up against me;

The ruthless seek my life; they set not God before their eyes.

Response: The Loving God upholds my life.

Behold, God is the helper who sustains my life.

Freely will I offer you sacrifice; I will praise you, Loving God, for your goodness.

Response: The Loving God upholds my life.

Reading 2 is from James 3:16—4:3

Beloved: Where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every foul practice. But the wisdom from above is first of all pure, then peaceable, gentle, compliant, full of mercy and good fruits, without inconstancy or insincerity. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace for those who cultivate peace. Where do the wars and where do the conflicts among you come from? Is it not from your passions that make war within your members? You covet, but do not possess. You kill and envy, but you cannot obtain; you fight and wage war. You do not possess because you do not ask. You ask but do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.

Gospel is from Mark 9:30-37

Jesus and his disciples left from there and began a journey through Galilee, but he did not wish anyone to know about it. He was teaching his disciples and telling them, “The Son of Man is to be handed over to men and they will kill him, and three days after his death the Son of Man will rise.” But they did not understand the saying, and they were afraid to question him. They came to Capernaum and, once inside the house, he began to ask them, “What were you arguing about on the way?” But they remained silent. They had been discussing among themselves on the way who was the greatest. Then he sat down, called the Twelve, and said to them, “If anyone wishes to be first, he shall be the last of all and the servant of all.” Taking a child, he placed it in the their midst, and putting his arms around it, he said to them, “Whoever receives one child such as this in my name, receives me; and whoever receives me, receives not me but the One who sent me.”

Femily: Political Maneuvers and Power Plays

In working for a better world, people and their political leaders often have the same goals of peace, justice, and human rights, but have different methods of operation. About 500 years ago, the Italian statesman and writer, Niccolo Machiaveli, put forth a much disputed theory that “the end justifies the means.” More recently, John Humbach of Pace University, stated that if violence is necessary to achieve an end, one is to use the least violent method. This Humane Principle by John Humbach states: The infliction of suffering is wrong and must be avoided unless it is an inseparable and unpreventable consequence of an action that is honestly meant as the most humane alternative that the situation presents, giving due regard to the interests of everyone affected.

In our present world situation, political leaders with military and financial power, believed it convenient to use that power as a means to an end. Machiaveli would doubtless have approved of 28,000 bombs and the accompanying collateral damage, if a peaceful and united Italian society were the outcome. The Humbach Theory would see the war as excessively violent;- that mediation in the United Nations would have been a more acceptable solution.

In the representative democracy designed by our forefathers, a president would not have had the power and the weaponry to wage an inhumane attack on the innocent people of Iraq. It remains to be seen if the human rights of the people of the world are furthered by the suffering that has been inflicted by the use of our military power and our tax monies. In this representative democracy, I feel unrepresented. Our ancestors shouted, “No Taxation without Representation!” I am devastated by the agony dropped on my fellow human beings.

What can Congress do about getting our troops out of Iraq and Afghanistan? Wars in foreign countries are unhealthy for the children in those countries, unhealthy for our soldiers who go there with depleted uranium weapons, and an unhealthy example of glorifying military killing is given to our young people and other impressionable people  in countries around the world.

We never should have sent military people to problem spots to shore up corporate greed. Can congress and the news media put out of their collective minds the recent mutilation of the innocent Iraqi people? We became involved in a delusion, thinking of war as a marvelous tool to power, due to a massive hallucination spreading throughout our nation. Congress could apply the Restorative Justice techniques of diplomacy and give support for human rights, in order to assist in rebuilding those countries and people harmed by our militant policies. Is Congress ready and able to implement a “Marshall Plan” to rectify our disastrous policies?

Finally, what can Congress do about health care and the environment? Do the laws put in place by Congress help or harm the American people? We need healers and law makers who respect the human rights of all people which includes not just U.S. citizens and immigrants, but all the people of the world. If we put our militancy behind us, we might have enough money for health care for the people of our country who are being undone by massive medical debt. Congress could support universal health care and do more funding of general education.

What does all this have to do with the readings? Is our Congress really looking out for the needs of our children and the children of the world as Jesus advised? The reading from James 3 tells us, “Where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every foul practice.” May our Congress be disposed to consider the Human Rights of all people!

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. God bless you on your journeying.

Readings and Femily for 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year B: 2012,2016,2020,etc.

Reading 1 is from Numbers 11:25-29

God came down in the cloud and spoke to Moses. Taking some of the spirit that was on Moses, God bestowed it on the seventy elders; and as the spirit came to rest on them, they prophesied. Now two people, one named Eldad and the other Medad, were not in the gathering but had been left in the camp. They too had been on the list, but had not gone out to the tent; yet the spirit came to rest on them also, and they prophesied in the camp. So, when a young person quickly told Moses, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp,” Joshua, son of Nun, who from his youth had been Moses’aide, said, “Moses, my lord, stop them.” But Moses answered him, “Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the people of God were prophets! Would that God might bestow Holy Spirit on them all!”

Responsorial Psalm is #19:8, 10, 12-14

Response: The precepts of our God give joy to the heart.

The law of God is perfect, refreshing the soul;

The decrees of God are trustworthy, giving wisdom to the simple.

Response: The precepts of our God give joy to the heart.

The fear of God is pure, enduring forever;

The ordinances of God are true, all of them just.

Response: The precepts of our God give joy to the heart.

Though your servant is careful of them, very diligent in keeping them,

Yet who can detect failings? Cleanse me from my unknown faults!

Response: The precepts of our God give joy to the heart.

From wanton sin especially, restrain your servant; let it not rule over me.

Then shall I be blameless and innocent of serious sin.

Response: The precepts of our God give joy to the heart.

Reading 2 is from James 5:1-6

Come now, you rich, weep and wail over your impending miseries. Your wealth has rotted away, your clothes have become moth-eaten, your gold and silver have corroded, and that corrosion will be a testimony against you; it will devour your flesh like a fire. You have stored up treasure for the last days. Behold, the wages you withheld from the workers who harvested your fields are crying aloud; and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Holy God. You have lived on earth in luxury and pleasure; you have fattened your hearts for the day of slaughter. You have condemned; you have murdered the righteous one; he offers you no resistance.

Gospel is from Mark 9:38-48

At that time, John said to Jesus, “Teacher, we saw someone driving out demons in your name, and we tried to prevent him because he does not follow us.” Jesus replied, “Do not prevent him. There is no one who performs a mighty deed in my name who can at the same time speak ill of me. For whoever is not against us is for us. Anyone who gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ, amen, I say to you, will surely not lose his reward. “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were put around his neck and he were thrown into the sea. If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed than with two hands to go into Gehenna, into the unquenchable fire. And if your foot causes you to sin, cut if off. It is better for you to enter into life crippled than with two feet to be thrown into Gehenna. And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. Better for you to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into Gehenna, where ‘their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.’”

Femily: Bible Quotes on Restorative Justice

“Whoever is not against us is for us.” Those who believe in restorative justice, rather than punishing justice illustrate those who follow the way of Jesus. Some systems of government believe the wrong-doer should be punished, while other systems try to rehabilitate and educate the wrong-doer and make him capable of returning to the community. We must take the hand and eye mutilation figuratively. Mutilation does not increase the amount of love in the world while the application of restorative justice does. The definition of restorative justice is evidenced in the following biblical quotes:

Malachi 4:2-3 But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness will shine out with healing in its rays; you will leap like calves going out to pasture.

James 3:17-18  But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace for those who make peace.

Isaiah 25: 6-10  On this mountain, Yahweh Sabaoth will prepare for all peoples a banquet of rich food, a banquet of fine wines, of food rich and juicy, of fine strained wines. On this mountain he will remove the mourning veil covering all peoples, and the shroud enwrapping all nations, he will destroy Death forever. Yahweh God will wipe away the tears from every cheek.

Psalm 1:1,2   Happy the man … who finds pleasure in the law of Yahweh!

Psalm 32:1,2  Happy the man whose fault is forgiven, whose sin is blotted out! Happy the man whom Yahweh accuses of no guilt, whose spirit is incapable of deceit! (Happy is he without guile)

Psalm 119:1,2  How happy those of blameless life who walk in the way of Yahweh! How happy those who respect his decrees and seek him with their whole heart!

Psalm 37:10-11 The humble will have the land for their own to enjoy untroubled peace.

Matthew 5:5-9  Happy those who mourn: they chall be comforted. Happy those who hunger and thirst for what is right: they shall be satisfied.

Matthew 7:1-2  Do not judge, and you will not be judged; because the judgments you give are the judgments you will get, and the amount you measure out is the amount you will be given.

Matthew 7:12  So always treat others as you would like them to treat you; that is the meaning of the Law and the Prophets.

Matthew 6:12  Forgive us our debts, as we have forgiven those who are in debt to us.

Romans 12:16-19,21  Treat everyone with equal kindness; never be condescending but make real friends with the poor. …  Never repay evil with evil but let everyone see that you are interested only in the highest ideals. Do all you can to live at peace with everyone. Never try to get revenge; leave that, my friends, to God. Resist evil and conquer it with good.

Romans 13:10  Love is the one thing that cannot hurt your neighbor; that is why it is the answer to every one of the commandments.

Mark 12:31 You must love your neighbor as yourself. (The most important thing that Jesus said.)

Luke 10:27  You must love Yahweh your God with all your heart, with all your soul,with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself. … Do this and life is yours.

Restorative Justice is healing justice. Mutilation does not help in healing.

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. God bless you on your journeying.

Readings and Femily for 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year B: 2012,2016,2020,etc.

Reading 1 is from Genesis 2:18-24

Yahweh God said: “It is not good for a person to be alone. I will make a suitable partner for them.” So Yahweh God formed out of the ground various wild animals and various birds of the air, and brought them to the person to see what that one would call them; whatever the person called each of them would be its name. The humanbeing gave names to all the cattle, all the birds of the air, and all wild animals; but none proved to be the suitable partner for the human. So Yahweh God cast a deep sleep on the humanbeing, and while that one was asleep, God took out one of the humanbeing’s ribs and closed up its place with flesh. Yahweh God then built up into another human the rib that had been taken out. When God brought that one to the original human, that one said: “This one, at last, is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; this one shall be called man for out of woman this one has been taken.” That is why a person leaves their parents and clings to their spouse, and the two of them become one flesh.

Responsorial Psalm is #128:1-6

Response: May our God bless us all the days of our lives.

Blessed are you who fear God, who walk in God’s ways!

For you shall eat the fruit of your handiwork; blessed shall you be, and favored.

Response: May our God bless us all the days of our lives.

Behold, thus is the person blessed who fears God.

May God bless you from Zion.

Response: May our God bless us all the days of our lives.

May you see your children’s children. Peace be upon Israel!

May you see the prosperity of Jerusalem all the days of your life.

Response: May our God bless us all the days of our lives.

Reading 2 is from Hebrews 2:9-11

Brothers and sisters: Jesus “for a little while” was made “lower than the angels,” that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone. For it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom all things exist, in bringing many to glory, should make the leader to their salvation perfect through suffering. The one who consecrates and those who are being consecrated all have one origin. Therefore, they are not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters.

Gospel is from Mark 10:2-16

The Pharisees approached Jesus and asked, “Is it lawful for a husband to divorce his wife?” They were testing him. He said to them in reply, “What did Moses command you?” They replied, “Moses permitted a husband to write a bill of divorce and dismiss her.” But Jesus told them, “Because of the hardness of your hearts Moses wrote you this commandment. But from the beginning of creation, God made them male and female. For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. So they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, no human being must separate.” In the house the disciples again questioned Jesus about this. He said to them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her; and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery.” And people were bringing children to him that he might touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this he became indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me; do not prevent them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.  Amen, I say to you, whoever does not accept the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it.” Then he embraced the children and blessed them, placing his hands on them.

Femily: Husbands and Wives

“It is not good for the human being to be alone.” Our evolutionary beginnings are so far back in the past that we may not notice they should be reevaluated. We do not notice how the myths of our childhood contribute to our false notion of sin.

As we evolved, we acquired certain characteristics. Those who murdered others got to live and reproduce themselves. Those who killed and reproduced influenced the genetic structure of those who came after them. Those who were non-violent and non-resistant, and died as a consequence of their passivity, often had no offspring.

Tribes of primates may have had one important male who mated with the females in the tribe. The other males had to hang out off in the outer areas, and get along with each other. There was no shame in that social situation at being a homosexual. It was the natural life style of many members of the group. These excess males would also be useful as protection against other marauding groups. We still have similar social situations today. Our armies are made up of younger males who obey the orders of older power-grasping patriarchs. Our church structures employ younger males usefully as monks who pray for the good of their societies, even as they stand apart from them.

When we look at our young males today, we can see that they have resemblances that have survived down many millenia. They supply us with noble fathers and courageous leaders. Less noble fathers who rape their daughters have been around a long time, too. The tales of the Goddess Demeter arrived in Sicily from Crete. She hid her daughter (by Zeus), Persephone, in a cave. Zeus turned into a serpent, raped Persephone, and she became the mother of Dionysos. Some demons tore this child Dionysos into seven parts. One piece, the heart, escaped, rescued by Athena. She gave it to Zeus who resurrected it by swallowing it, and rebirthing his son. Surely, parts of this myth are metaphorical.

Is this myth similar to the story of Jesus who was destroyed on the cross, and resurrected? The myths inspire other myths down through the ages. But the viable message of compassion remains the same: Fathers, love your children. Husbands, love your wives.

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. Be gentle with your family members. God bless you on your journeying.

Readings and Femily for 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year B: 2012,2016,2020,etc.

Reading 1 is from Wisdom 7:7-11

I prayed, and prudence was given me; I pleaded, and the spirit of wisdom came to me. I preferred her to scepter and throne, and deemed riches nothing in comparison with her, nor did I liken any priceless gem to her; because all gold, in view of her, is a little sand, and before her, silver is to be accounted mire. Beyond health and comeliness I loved her, and I chose to have her rather than the light, because the splendor of her never yields to sleep. Yet all good things together came to me in her company, and countless riches at her hands.

Responsorial Psalm is #90:12-17

Response: Fill us with your love, O God, and we will sing for joy!

Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain wisdom of heart.

Return, O God! How long? Have pity on your servants!

Response: Fill us with your love, O God, and we will sing for joy!

Fill us at daybreak with your kindness, that we may shout for joy and gladness all our days.

Make us glad, for the days when you afflicted us, for the years when we saw evil.

Response: Fill us with your love, O God, and we will sing for joy!

Let your work be seen by your servants and your glory by their children;

Prosper the work of our hands for us! Prosper the work of our hands!

Response: Fill us with your love, O God, and we will sing for joy!

Reading 2 is from Hebrews 4:12-13

Brothers and sisters: Indeed the word of God is living and effective, sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating even between soul and spirit, joints and marrow, and able to discern reflections and thoughts of the heart. No creature is concealed from God, but everything is naked and exposed to the eyes of God to whom we must render an account.

Gospel is from Mark 10:17-30

As Jesus was setting out on a journey, a woman ran up, knelt down before him, and asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus answered her, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. You know the commandments: You shall not kill; you shall not commit adultery; you shall not steal; you shall not bear false witness; you shall not defraud; honor your father and your mother.” She replied and said to him, “Teacher, all of these I have observed from my youth.” Jesus, looking at her, admired her answer and said, “You are lacking in one thing. Go, sell what you have, and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.” At that statement her face fell, and she went away sad, for she had many possessions. Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for those who have wealth to enter the realm of God!” The disciples were amazed at his words. So Jesus again repeated again to them, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for one who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” They were exceedingly astonished and said among themselves, “Then who can be saved?” Jesus looked at them and said, “For human beings it is impossible, but not for God. All things are possible for God.” Peter began to say to him, “We have given up everything and followed you.” Jesus said, “Amen, I say to you, there is no one who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands for my sake and for the sake of the gospel who will not receive a hundred times more now in this present age: houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and eternal life in the age to come.”

Femily: Entering the Kingdom

“How hard it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!” How hard it is for those who carry weapons to bring on the realm of God!

In this time of the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer, the message of Jesus reminds us that wealth is often an impediment to caring concern for one’s neighbor. The Human Rights Documents of the United Nations remind us that education, health care, food, and housing are the rights for all the people of the earth. If we hoard our wealth to engrandize ourselves, then we are missing the doorway to the realm of God.

The United States is a member of the United Nations, but it has little to do with the documents that the U.N. so carefully produces. Are our political leaders willing to push for the signing of all these international instruments? Are there senators or representatives who are willing to back one document, such as The Convention on the Rights of the Child? How about The Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment? An airing of The International Convention for the Protection of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families might help solve some of our immigration dilemnas. Why doesn’t the United States Senate get busy and ratify these Human Rights Documents? Can we do anything to help promote the message of Jesus when many TV newscasters seem inclined to berate presidential initiatives and stress lower taxes for the wealthy in every situation? Instead of backing up wealthy bankers, we could give microfinance support to impoverished Americans, such as the formerly incarcerated or the mentally dehabilitated. Mentors could be appointed to assist the jobless in taking internet educational programs. Soldiers, police and those who keep order in prisons and mental institutions could immerse themselves in restorative justice and non-violent language programs.

On the international scene those seeking a peaceful world could discourage the collection of nuclear weapons by nations and prevent weapon distribution to the youth of inner city gangs. Peace seekers could make gardens instead of walls. There is a peace garden between Canada and the U.S. Can you imagine a peace garden between Israel and Palestine? Wherever there is ugly illegal wall, the common people could be invited to make a garden. The wall could be broken apart to make benches and tables. Palestinians and Israelis could plant fig and date trees. There could be fountains and streams. There would be plaques declaring the virtues of peace and respect for all nations. There would be chapels of all religious faiths. There would be no weapons allowed, and the garden would be patrolled by unarmed pairs of Palestinians and Israelis. Weapons do not help to build the realm of God.

Consider Mid-east politics. Syria is mainly Suni. Iran is mainly Shi’ite. In Iraq the majority is Shi’ite, but Sadam’s government was Suni. Some in our government are accusing Iran of supplying money and guns to the Hezballah (Lebanon), the Fatah (West Bank), the Hamas (Gaza). Jordan is ruled by the Hashematys. Many Palestinians fled to Jordan. Money and guns do not help to build the realm of God. There is much waste of valuable resources caused by the recourse to arms and high military expenditures. It was an international crime for the U.S. to bomb Iraq. We are continuing to commit crimes in Afghanistan. Authentic development “must foster the development of each person and of the whole person.” “Development is the new name for peace.”

Terrorism is one response to bombing and bullying. International Law forbids aggressive attacks on other nations. Iraq and Iran did not and do not possess nuclear weapons. Even if they did, that would not justify our attack, anymore than any other nation would be justified in bombing the U.S. because we possess nuclear weapons. We must keep our eyes focused on the realm of God, rather on the temporary wealth that might come our way from bombing other populations. How horrible to send bombs via drone, to slaughter everyone in the vicinity of what might be considered a prime military target.

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others? How can everyday people end the slaughter that goes on with armies that have heavy duty weapons tipped with depleted uranium?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. God bless you on your journeying.

Readings and Femily for 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year B:2012,2016,2020,etc.

Reading 1 is from Isaiah 53:10-11

Yahweh was pleased to crush the holy one with infirmity. If one gives their life as an offering for sin, they shall see their descendants in a long life, and the will of God shall be accomplished through them. Because of their affliction they shall see the light after many days; through their suffering, the servant shall justify many, and their guilt that one shall bear.

Responsorial Psalm is #33:4-5, 18-22

Response: God, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.

Upright is the word of God, and all God’s works are trustworthy.

God loves justice and right; of the kindness of God the earth is full.

Response: God, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.

See, the eyes of God are upon those who trust and those who hope for God’s kindness,

To deliver them from death and preserve them in spite of famine.

Response: God, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.

Our soul waits for God, who is our help and our shield.

May your kindness, O God, be upon us who have put our hope in you.

Response: God, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.

Reading 2 is from Hebrews 4:14-16

Brothers and sisters: Since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has similarly been tested in every way, yet without sin. So let us confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and to find grace to help in time of need.

Gospel is from Mark 10:35-45

James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus and said to him, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.” He replied, “What do you wish me to do for you?” They answered him, “Grant that in your glory we may sit one at your right and the other at your left.” Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the cup that I drink or be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?” They said to him, “We can.” Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink, you will drink, and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized; but to sit at my right or at my left is not mine to give but is for those for whom it has been prepared.” When the ten heard this, they became indignant at James and John. Jesus summoned them and said to them, “You know that those who are recognized as rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones make their authority over them felt. But it shall not be so among you. Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all. For the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Femily: Those Who Desire Power

“Whoever wishes to be great among you will be the slave of all.” How have the notable figures of history treated this statement? Going back to 5000 years ago, before the times of the ancient Greek philosophers, there were power-crazed charismatic men who went to war on neighboring tribes in self-righteous fury because they thought the other was worshiping a different god, or because they were imagining the other tribe had done them a serious wrong. Of course the men in the neighboring tribes defended themselves as best they could. The women stood by and were claimed as prizes by the victors. A new tribal group was formed by those left alive. Or the women did not stand quietly by. When they saw their husbands, brothers, and territories threatened, they ganged up on an intruder, made a sexual slave out of him, mistreated men, and ruled through a matriarchal society in order to perpetuate the race.

Traveling through time, we find that in ancient Greece 2500 years ago, a type of democracy came to birth, a democracy for privileged men, only. Then 2000 years ago Jesus spoke for equality and forgiveness. His ideas were spread, but were relegated to the back burner even in the church communities that the person Jesus supposedly founded. Today 2000 years later we find that humanity still has power-crazed charismatic persons who want to be in control of the world’s resources, persons who do not understand sharing, equality, and forgiveness. How do we the people, humankind of the world, react to such politics? In response to such power-driven leadership, men willingly go off to war, throw bombs, break down doors, rape women, traumatize women and children, and all for what purpose? Children are watching, learning, ready to imitate, reliving the horror in their dreams.

Have we made any progress in the last 5000 years? How can we persuade the human beings of today to try the philosophy of equality, compassion, and forgiveness proposed by Jesus? Can we recognize the differences between a philosophy of punishment and retaliation and one of restorative justice? The opening quote bears repeating, “Whoever wishes to be great among you will be the slave of all.”

Popes and presidents must listen to the voices of the people if they wish to continue to serve them. We must take care of our children and not subject the children of the world to land mines that look like toys. We must supply fulfilling education and meaningful work to young people. With such a beautiful earth to take care of, we must respect the earth and each other, so we all can share together in earth’s bounty.

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others? How can I share the bounty of the earth with the other people of the earth?” God bless you on your journeying.

Readings and Femily for 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year B:2012,2016,2020,etc.

Reading 1 is from Jeremiah 31:7-9

Thus says our God;- Shout with joy for Jacob, exult at the head of the nations; proclaim your praise and say: for God has delivered the people, the remnant of Israel. Behold, I will bring them back from the land of the north; I will gather them from the ends of the world, with the blind and the lame in their midst, the mothers and those with child; they shall return as an immense throng. They departed in tears, but I will console them and guide them; I will lead them to brooks of water, on a level road, so that none shall stumble. For I am a parent to Israel; Ephraim is my first- born.

Responsorial Psalm is #126:1-6

Response: Our God has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.

When God brought back the captives of Zion, we were like people dreaming.

Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with rejoicing.

Response: Our God has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.

Then they said among the nations, “Their God has done great things for them.”

Our God has done great things for us; we are glad indeed.

Response: Our God has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.

Restore our fortunes, O God, like the torrents in the southern desert.

Those that sow in tears shall reap rejoicing.

Response: Our God has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.

Although they go forth weeping, carrying the seed to be sown,

They shall come back rejoicing, carrying their sheaves.

Response: Our God has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.

Reading 2 is from Hebrews 5:1-6

Brothers and sisters: Every high priest is taken from among the people and made their representative before God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. This priest is able to deal patiently with the ignorant and erring, for he himself is beset by weakness and so, for this reason, must make sin offerings for himself as well as for the people. No one takes this honor upon himself but only when called by God, just as Aaron was. In the same way, it was not Christ who glorified himself in becoming high priest, but rather the one who said to him: You are my son: this day I have begotten you; just as he says in another place: You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.

Gospel is from Mark 10:46-52

As Jesus was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a sizable crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind man, the son of Timaeus, sat by the roadside begging. On hearing that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, son of David, have pity on me.” Many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he kept calling out all the more, “Son of David, have pity on me.” Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” So they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take courage; get up, Jesus is calling you.” He threw aside his cloak, sprang up, and came to Jesus. Jesus said to him in reply, “What do you want me to do for you?” The blind man replied to him, “Master, I want to see.” Jesus told him, “Go your way; your faith has saved you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed him on the way.

Femily: The Blind

After shadow and darkness, the eyes of the blind will see (Isaiah 29:18). When we are blinded by hurt and pain, and cannot see the flowers of spring and the golden leaves of autumn, when we cannot find the goodness of the earth, how we cry out, “If only I could see!!” Then the word of Jesus returns to our heart, and we remember that the Good Spirit will supply all that we need. We are saved by our faith in the goodness of Jesus.

There are different varieties of blind people. Some people are physically blind and want to be normal and see. Some people are mentally blind, and refuse to see another’s point of view. Some people are emotionally blind, and they do not recognize their blindness. An example of the blind person who refuses to see, beyond himself or herself, is a fear-monger. The definition of a fear-monger is as follows: A monger is a dealer or trader, often a discreditable dealer whose price is not worth his goods. Many of our politicians are fear-mongers. They deal in fear. They will try to make us afraid of the immigrant by blaming immigrants for sexual offenses. However, immigrants are very unlikely to be sexual offenders. Your most usual sexual offender is someone in your own family taking advantage of another family member. Immigrants are usually law-abiding people; they do not want to break the law and be deported.

Fear-mongering politicians will try to make us afraid of the people in prison. They say, “These are evil unsalvable people; let us keep them in prison forever and throw away the key. Let us give them the death penalty.” In reality, prisoners are much like us. They are horrified by their crime, as we are horrified when we find ourselves losing our temper in a controversial incident. The majority of the incarcerated, given restorative programs, are able to reenter society successfully. As taxpaying citizens, we should support positive educational programs for the incarcerated, so that they will be job-ready when they have served their sentence.

Fear-mongering politicians with international issues will try to make us afraid of leaders of neighboring countries. This can lead to war, and to the death of many of our own citizens and those of the other country. The fear-monger assures us that they will take care of us, that we can trust in their judgment. We must resist the desire to believe in such assumptions; if we listen to such leaders, we are giving up our freedom to make our own decisions about ethical and political matters.

When you are confronted with a fear-mongering politician who is working on your gullibility, call their bluff by speaking out for peaceful and world-building alternatives. Perhaps they will be challenged by your forthrightness and will be gifted with sight and insight.

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. God bless you on your journeying.

Readings and Femily for 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year B:2012,2016,2020,etc.

Reading 1 is from Deuteronomy 6:3-8

It came to pass in the fortieth year, in the eleventh month, on the first day of the month, that Moses spoke unto the children of Israel, according unto all that God had given him in commandment unto them; after they had slain Sihon the king of the Amorites, which dwelt in Heshbon, and Og the king of Bashan, which dwelt at Astaroth in Edrei: On this side of the Jordan, in the land of Moab, began Moses to declare this law, saying;- Our God spake unto us in Horeb, saying, Ye have dwelt long enough in this mount: Turn you, and take your journey, and go to the mount of the Amorites, and unto all the places nigh thereunto, in the plain, in the hills, and in the vale, and in the south, and by the sea side, to the land of the Canaanites, and unto Lebanon, unto the great river, the river Euphrates. Behold, I have set the land before you: go in and possess the land which God sware unto your ancestors, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give unto them and to their seed after them.

Responsorial Psalm is #18:2-4, 48

Response: I love you, God, my strength.

God is my rock, and my fortress, my deliverer, my strength, in whom I will trust;

My buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.

Response: I love you, God, my strength.

I will call upon God, who is worthy to be praised;

So shall I be saved from mine enemies.

Response: I love you, God, my strength.

God delivereth me from mine enemies: yea, thou liftest me up above those that rise up against me;

Thou hast delivered me from violence.

Response: I love you, God, my strength.

Reading 2 is from Hebrews 7:23-28

There truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death; but this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. We are pleased with such an high priest who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; who needeth not daily, as those other high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people’s: for this he did once, when he offered up himself. For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore.

Gospel is from Mark 12:28-34

One of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that Jesus had answered them well, asked him, “Which is the first commandment of all?” “Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, ‘Hear, O Israel; Yahweh our God is God alone, and thou shalt love Yahweh thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength.’ This is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, ‘Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.’ There is none other commandment greater than these.” And the scribe said unto him, “Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other; and to love God with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love thy neighbour as thyself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.” And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, “Thou art not far from the kingdom of God.” And no person after that durst question him.

Femily: The One High Priest

The author of Hebrews is telling us that we do not need any more high priests or popes or leaders, as we have this one marvelous priest who has offered up his whole self for us, that we might be free of punishment.

God who is our fortress, our deliverer and our strength, has given us the earth for our heritage, and the universe to maneuver around in, and we do not need to ask any of the multitude of priests, living or dead, for permission to do our service. We are to be kind to the others who surround us, and to follow the example of Jesus who has freed us for God’s purposes.We are to keep in mind the great commandments of loving God and neighbor.

This sounds easy, and like a give-away, but those trying to walk the straight path, find there are many enticements along the way. Perhaps it is not a good idea to cast aside all help from fellow human beings. The encyclical Veritatis Splendor #64 has a quote, On Church Teaching and Conscience: “Christians have a great help for the formation of conscience in the Church and her magisterium… ‘For the Catholic Church is by the will of Christ the teacher of truth’… It follows that the authority of the Church, when she pronounces on moral questions, in no way undermines the freedom of conscience of Christians.”

We can think of Roy Bourgeois following his conscience on the morality of the School of the Americas problem, and on the morality of the Women’s Ordination problem. When Roy disagrees with the Pope he is obliged to follow his conscience, and not follow the Pope. The Pope and Roy do not have to agree; but they are still to keep in mind the great commandments. How does having women priests affect the commandment to love God and neighbor?

My response is that if the Pope gave the OK for women priests, then others of the world religions would give more respect to women.

How does the closing of the School of the Americas affect the commandment to love God and neighbor? My response is that if our country’s leaders acknowledged the cruel part they have played in causing mayhem in Central and South America, the nations might agree to have fewer weapons and private military personel.

In most disagreements both parties can agree that there is usually a point where the two parties can find common ground on what is best for their neighbor and for settling the argument.

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. God bless you on your journeying.

Readings and Femily for the Solemnity of All Saints – Year B: Nov.1,2012,2016,2020,etc.

Reading 1 is from Revelations 7:2-4, 9-14

I, John, saw another angel come up from the East, holding the seal of the living God. The angel cried out in a loud voice to the four angels who were given power to damage the land and the sea, “Do not damage the land or the sea or the trees until we put the seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God.” I heard the number of those who had been marked with the seal, one hundred and forty-four thousand marked from every tribe of the children of Israel.  After this I had a vision of a great multitude, which no one could count, from every nation, race, people, and tongue. They stood before the throne and before the Lamb, wearing white robes and holding palm branches in their hands. They cried out in a loud voice: “Salvation comes from our God, who is seated on the throne, and from the Lamb.” All the angels stood around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They prostrated themselves before the throne, worshiped God, and exclaimed: “Amen. Blessing and glory, wisdom and thanksgiving, honor, power, and might be to our God forever and ever. Amen.” Then one of the elders spoke up and said to me, “Who are these wearing white robes, and where did they come from?” I said to him, “My friend, you are the one who knows.” The elder said, “These are the ones who have survived the time of great distress; they have washed their robes and made them white in the Blood of the Lamb.”

Responsorial Psalm is #24:1-6

Response: Great God, this is the people that longs to see your face.

The earth and its fullness belong to our God; the world and those who dwell in it.

For God founded it upon the seas and established it upon the rivers.

Response: Great God, this is the people that longs to see your face.

Who can ascend the mountain of God? Or who may stand in God’s holy place?

One whose hands are sinless, whose heart is clean, who desires not what is vain.

Response: Great God, this is the people that longs to see your face.

They shall receive a blessing from God, a reward from God their savior.

Such is the race that seeks God, that seeks the face of the God of Jacob.

Response: Great God, this is the people that longs to see your face.

Reading 2 is from 1 John 3:1-3

Beloved: See what love our Abba has bestowed on us that we may be called the children of God. Yet so we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know God. Beloved, we are God’s children now; what we shall be has not yet been revealed. We do know that when it is revealed we shall be like God, for we shall see God as God is. Everyone who has this hope based on God, makes himself pure, as God is pure.

Gospel is from Matthew 5:1-12

When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain, and after he had sat down, his disciples came to him. He began to teach them, saying: “How blessed with spirit are the poor, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven. How blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted. How blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land. How blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied. How blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. How blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God. How blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. How blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the Realm of heaven. How blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven.”

Femily: How Blessed are the Peacemakers

How blessed with Spirit are the poor, for they are not burdened with distractions. The poor are the most likely people to help others onward to peace. They are the most likely people to be peacemakers, because they understand how persons can suffer when subjected to deprivation and violence. Those who dwell in refuge camps long for peace!

Authorative statements about war and peace can be found in various Catholic documents such as Gaudium et Spes, (paragraph 78) and other writings, which can be found at <www.thesocialagenda.org/article10.htm> which are quoted below:

This is a quote from Gaudium et Spes (paragraph 78)— “Peace is not merely the absence of war; nor can it be reduced solely to the maintenance of a balance of power between enemies; nor is it brought about by dictatorship. Instead, it is rightly and appropriately called an enterprise of justice. Peace results from that order structured into human society by its divine Founder, and actualized by men as they thirst after ever greater justice. The common good of humanity finds its ultimate meaning in the eternal law. But since the concrete demands of this common good are constantly changing as time goes on, peace is never attained once and for all, but must be built up ceaselessly. Moreover, since the human will is unsteady and wounded by sin, the achievement of peace requires a constant mastering of passions and the vigilance of lawful authority.

“But this is not enough. This peace on earth cannot be obtained unless personal well-being is safeguarded and people freely and trustingly share with one another the riches of their inner spirits and their talents. A firm determination to respect other humanbeings and their dignity, as well as the studied practice of brotherhood/sisterhood are absolutely necessary for the establishment of peace. Hence peace is likewise the fruit of love, which goes beyond what justice can provide.

“That earthly peace which arises from love of neighbor symbolizes and results from the peace of Christ which radiates from God the Father. For by the cross the incarnate Son, the prince of peace, reconciled all people with God. By thus restoring all people to the unity of one people and one body, he slew hatred in his own flesh; and, after being lifted on high by his resurrection, he poured forth the spirit of love into the hearts of men.

“For this reason, all Christians are urgently summoned to do in love what the truth requires, and to join with all true peacemakers in pleading for peace and bringing it about.

“Motivated by this same spirit, we cannot fail to praise those who renounce the use of violence in the vindication of their rights and who resort to methods of defense which are otherwise available to weaker parties too, provided this can be done without injury to the rights and duties of others or of the community itself.

“Insofar as humanbeings are sinful, the threat of war hangs over them, and hang over them it will until the return of Christ. But insofar as people vanquish sin by a union of love, they will vanquish violence as well and make these words come true: ‘They shall turn their swords into plough-shares, and their spears into sickles. Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more’” (Isaiah 2:4). What is written above is in Gaudium et Spes #78.

Next a quote from Just War in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, (Section III Safeguarding Peace), #2304— “Respect for and development of human life require peace. Peace is not merely the absence of war, and it is not limited to maintaining a balance of powers between adversaries. Peace cannot be attained on earth without safeguarding the goods of persons, free communication among men, respect for the dignity of persons and peoples, and the assiduous practice of fraternity. Peace is ‘the tranquility of order.’” [St. Augustine, City of God 19, 13,1] “Peace is the work of justice and the effect of charity.” [See Isaiah 32:17 and see also Vatican II, Gaudium et spes #78, 1-2]

Next a quote from the Catechism of the Catholic Church, (Section III Safeguarding Peace), #2317— “Injustice, excessive economic or social inequalities, envy, distrust, and pride raging among men and nations constantly threaten peace and cause wars. Everything done to overcome these disorders contributes to building up peace and avoiding war: Insofar as men are sinners, the threat of war hangs over them and will so continue until Christ comes again; but insofar as they can vanquish sin by coming together in charity, violence itself will be vanquished and these words will be fulfilled: ‘they shall beat their swords into plow shares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore’” (Gaudium et Spes, n.78, 6; see also Isaiah 2:4).

Again from the Catechism of the Catholic Church, (Section III Safeguarding Peace), #2313— “Non combatants, wounded soldiers, and prisoners must be respected and treated humanely. Actions deliberately contrary to the law of nations and to its universal principles are crimes, as are the orders that command such actions. Blind obedience does not suffice to excuse those who carry them out. Thus the extermination of a people, nation, or ethnic minority must be condemned as a mortal sin. One is morally bound to resist orders that command genocide.”

Let us mull over in our hearts these definitions of peace. Do our present military ventures qualify as just wars? Would Jesus advise forgiveness and restoration? Christians are required to plea for peace and to attempt to bring it about. We are to build schools, roads, and hospitals in countries that undergo the horrors of war or natural disasters.

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. God bless you on your journeying.

Readings and Femily for 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year B:2012,2016,2020,etc.

Reading 1 is from I Kings 17:10-16

In those days, Elijah the prophet went to Zarephath. As he arrived at the entrance of the city, a widow was gathering sticks there; he called out to her, “Please bring me a small cupful of water to drink.” She left to get it, and he called out after her, “Please bring along a bit of bread.” She answered, “As God, lives, I have nothing baked; there is only a handful of flour in my jar and a little oil in my jug. Just now I was collecting a couple of sticks, to go in and prepare something for myself and my son; when we have eaten it, we shall die.” Elijah said to her, “Do not be afraid. Go and do as you propose. But first make me a little cake and bring it to me. Then you can prepare something for yourself and your son. For the God of Israel, says, ‘The jar of flour shall not go empty, nor the jug of oil run dry, until the day when God sends rain upon the earth.’” She left and did as Elijah had said. She was able to eat for a year, and he and her son as well; the jar of flour did not go empty, nor the jug of oil run dry, as God had foretold through Elijah.

Responsorial Psalm is #146:7-10

Response: Praise our God, my soul!

God keeps faith forever, secures justice for the oppressed, gives food to the hungry.

God sets captives free.

Response: Praise our God, my soul!

God gives sight to the blind, and raises up those who were bowed down.

God loves the just and protects strangers.

Response: Praise our God, my soul!

The fatherless and the widow God sustains, but the way of the wicked God thwarts.

God shall reign forever; your God, O Zion, through all generations. Alleluia.

Response: Praise our God, my soul!

Reading 2 is from Hebrew 9:24-28

Christ did not enter into a sanctuary made by hands, a copy of the true sanctuary, but entered into heaven itself, that he might now appear before God on our behalf. Not that he might offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters each year into the sanctuary with blood that is not his own; if that were so, he would have had to suffer repeatedly from the foundation of the world. But now once for all he has appeared at the end of the ages to take away sin by his sacrifice. Just as it is appointed that human beings die once, and after this the judgment, so also Christ, offered once to take away the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to take away sin but to bring salvation to those who eagerly await him.

Gospel is from Mark 12:38-44

In the course of his teaching Jesus said to the crowds, “Beware of the scribes, who like to go around in long robes

and accept greetings in the marketplaces, seats of honor in synagogues, and places of honor at banquets. They devour the houses of widows and, as a pretext recite lengthy prayers. They will receive a very severe condemnation.” He sat down opposite the treasury and observed how the crowd put money into the treasury. Many rich people put in large sums. A poor widow also came and put in two small coins worth a few cents. Calling his disciples to himself, he said to them, “Amen, I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the other contributors to the treasury; for they have all contributed from their surplus wealth, but she, from her poverty, has contributed all she had, her whole livelihood.”

Femily: Those in Poverty

We see the rich and the powerful in the market place buying and selling and greeting each other. We don’t see poor widows too often, unless they are begging on the city street. If we visit inside a prison, we can see the faces of the poor and oppressed. How can we help those in poverty? Incarcerated persons represent many different types of individuals, and they have many and varied needs. They also have talents. Could some of their needs be alleviated by having talented inmates help each other?

Seventeen percent of the incarcerated have serious reading problems. The put-down passed onto those with Dyslexia and Attention Deficit Disorder can condemn a young adult to prison. Some schools can keep a child with these handicaps up to grade with constant practice and special programs, but most teachers are not equipped to recognize or treat these problems.

Private schools with special teachers can teach most dyslexics to read, encouraging their students with art courses, singing, and sports. Orton Gillingham programs (www.ortonacademy.org) and Linda Mood-Bell workshops (lindamoodbell.com) could help those in prison to overcome their learning disabilities. If you trained diligent older prisoners in the Orton Gillingham method to teach the younger prisoners, you would be helping the self esteem of both age groups. As incentive, both the tutors and the tutored could be paid.

Eleven percent of the incarcerated have serious mental illness. There is no one to keep careful check of the medicines to hand out to those afflicted people. Is there a way to train selected officers for special duty such as passing out the meds and follow-up? Is there a way to train selected inmates to do follow-up on reactions to meds and to act as mentors for the traumatized and mentally distressed?

Alternatives to Violence programs are very useful for helping people to transform themselves. Such programs have been helping those incarcerated at SingSing for many years. There could be a way to upgrade the officers who work in prisons by having them take programs that would enhance their abilities and gave them credits that would increase their salaries. There could be workshops on such items as prison diets, meds for the mentally ill, cultural differences, psychological hangups, etc.) Officers could be paid for attending and work toward an increase in their qualifications. AVP volunteers could help in such a project.

Thus we see that those in poverty could aid in helping themselves and in their fellow prisoners. I think Jesus would commend such a project.

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. God bless you on your journeying.

Readings and Femily for 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year B:2012,2016,2020,etc.

Reading 1 is from Daniel 12:1-3

In those days, I, Daniel, heard this word from God: “At that time there shall arise Michael, the great prince, guardian of your people; it shall be a time unsurpassed in distress since nations began until that time. At that time your people shall escape, everyone who is found written in the book. Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake; some shall live forever, others shall be an everlasting horror and disgrace. But the wise shall shine brightly like the splendor of the firmament, and those who lead the many to justice shall be like the stars forever.”

Responsorial Psalm is #16:5, 8-11

Response: You are my inheritance, O Just God!

O God, my allotted portion and my cup, you it is who hold fast my lot.

I set God ever before me; with God at my right hand I shall not be disturbed.

Response: You are my inheritance, O Just God!

Therefore my heart is glad and my soul rejoices, my body, too, abides in confidence;

Because you will not abandon my soul to the netherworld, nor will you suffer your faithful one to undergo corruption.

Response: You are my inheritance, O Just God!

You will show me the path to life, fullness of joys in your presence,

The delights at your right hand forever.

Response: You are my inheritance, O Just God!

Reading 2 is from Hebrews 10:11-14,18

Brothers and sisters: Every priest stands daily at his ministry, offering frequently those same sacrifices that can never take away sins. But this one offered one sacrifice for sins, and took his seat forever at the right hand of God; now he waits until his enemies are made his footstool. For by one offering he has made perfect forever those who are being consecrated. Where there is forgiveness like this, there is no longer a necessary offering for sin.

Gospel is from Mark 13:24-32

Jesus said to his disciples: “In those days after that tribulation the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling from the sky, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Servant of Humanity coming in the clouds with great power and glory, and then he will send out the angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the end of the earth to the end of the sky. Learn a lesson from the fig tree. When its branch becomes tender and sprouts leaves, you know that summer is near. In the same way, when you see these things happening, know that he is near, at the gates. Amen, I say to you, the people of the world will not disappear until all these things have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. But of that day or hour, no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only Abba.”

Femily: The End of Time?

With torture and killing and overuse of weaponry on civilian populations, we can agree that the end of time might be near at hand. Israel invaded Palestine and set up a proxy government. U.S. invaded Iraq and set up a government to give profit to oil corporations. In the 18th century, Europeans invaded North America and set up a government which denied land rights to the Native American population. It is not surprising that in many states (Iraq, Afghanistan, Palestine) there are disatisfied minorities protesting with weapons. It is not surprising that opposition leaders are put in prison by insecure government officials. A God who wills our fulfillment, probably does not want us to use weapons on each other.

A person is to be considered innocent of a crime, until he is proved guilty. Our political leaders and their publicity outlets condemned the prisoners at Guantanamo Bay, before they had been proved guilty. Places like Guantanamo Bay are excessive and shouldn’t exist for anybody in any country, especially for those who are protesting against government security or unwise policies. Even guilty prisoners have Human Rights. President Bush and Vice-President Cheney had the U.S. Attorney Gonzales redefine torture for traitors who compromised U.S. security. He broke the Geneva convention against torture to make Guantanamo Bay seem legal.

The situation at Fort Hood exposes how soldiers are led into personality disorders. A soldier can enlist and receive a bonus and serve in the army. He can be traumatized, wounded and sent back; then diagnosed with pre-enlistment personality disorder and told that he owes the army thousands of dollars for accepting a pre-enlistment bonus and then not fulfilling that service.

Jesus advises us to love one another. We are to respect each other and to respect each other’s religious and ethical beliefs. He does not advise slaughtering other people. “Those who take up the sword will die by the sword.” Those soldiers who are horrified by what they have done, must remember that God forgives them, and welcomes them back into loving community.

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people in my country who are jobless, homeless, imprisoned, and often without hope? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others? How can I carry the message of Jesus to the distressed and the discouraged?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. God bless you on your journeying.

Readings and Femily for The Solemnity of Christ the King - Year B Nov.22,2012; 2016,2020,etc.

Reading 1 is from Daniel 7:13-14

As the visions during the night continued, I saw one like a Servant of Humanity coming, on the clouds of heaven; when he reached the Ancient One and was presented before him, the one like a Servant of Humanity received dominion, glory, and kingship; all peoples, nations, and languages serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that shall not be taken away; his kingship shall not be destroyed.

Responsorial Psalm is #93: 1-2, 5

Response: Our God is ruler and is robed in majesty.

Our God is king, in splendor robed;

Robed is our God and girt about with strength.

Response: Our God is ruler and is robed in majesty.

God has made the world firm, not to be moved.

Your throne stands firm from of old; from everlasting you are God.

Response: Our God is ruler and is robed in majesty.

Your decrees are worthy of trust indeed;

Holiness befits your house, O God, for length of days.

Response: Our God is ruler and is robed in majesty.

Reading 2 is from Revelations 1:5-8

Jesus Christ is the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead and ruler of the kings of the earth. To Jesus who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, who has made us into a kingdom, priests for Abba God, to him be glory and power forever and ever. Amen. Behold, Jesus is coming amid the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him. All the peoples of the earth will lament him. Yes. Amen. “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Holy God, “the one who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”

Gospel is from John 18:33-37

Pilate said to Jesus,“Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus answered, “Do you say this on your own or have others told you about me?” Pilate answered, “I am not a Jew, am I?  Your own nation and the chief priests handed you over to me. What have you done?” Jesus answered, “My kingdom does not belong to this world. If my kingdom did belong to this world, my attendants would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not here.” So Pilate said to him, “Then you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say I am a king. For this I was born and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.”

Femily: The King of the Jews

Pilate put a sign on the cross of Jesus which read, “Jesus the Nazarean, the King of the Jews.” When Pilate was asked to change the sign to read, “He said, I am King of the Jews,” Pilate retorted, “What I have written, I have written.” Jesus was a descendant of King David, in distant line to be the ruling king in Israel. He also was an authority figure as a member of the Nazarean sect. Not too much is known about the Nazareans. They were King David’s royal line, but so were many other Jewish people, as David and Solomon had many wives and descendants. One of the Nazarean religious restrictions was that they did not drink alcoholic beverages. Jesus replied to Pilate that his kingdom was not like Pilate imagined. Jesus’ kingdom was not a worldly kingdom, but a kingdom of love. Wouldn’t it be a wonderful world if all our efforts were concentrated in bringing into being, Jesus’ kingdom of love!

Let’s think about a kingdom of love for a moment. What positive examples do we have? Would nations distribute cluster bombs on the territory of other nations if we had a kingdom of love? The 34-day war between Israel and Hezbollah ended August 14, 2006, but up to a million unexploded cluster munitions that Israel dropped on Lebanon are the terrible remnant of that war. Lebanese are still being killed or maimed by the bomblets (many made in the U.S.).

If left on the ground, a slight disturbance may cause bomblets to explode. Worse, many bomblets are brightly colored, with others attached to small parachutes, making them look like toys and enticing kids to pick them up. No international treaties outlaw the use of cluster bombs, although the Geneva Conventions contain laws to protect civilians during conflict.

According to the United Nations Mine Action Coordination Centre of South Lebanon, unexploded cluster munitions have killed 30 civilians and permanently wounded 230. Then there is the Gaza situation, and the sending of drone bombloads to slaughter those in Afghanistan. War is not about the Kingdom of Love of Jesus. War is not patriotic. It is not good for anyone’s country. How can the U.S. have any part of this mutilation? Pope John XXIII had a suggestion: Consult not your fears but your hopes and your dreams. Think not about your frustrations, but about your unfulfilled potential. Concern yourself not with what you tried and failed in, but with what it is still possible for you to do.

What would a real earth designed for the survival of real people look like? Our world has unfulfilled potential. It is my belief that the world is destined to radiate peace. We can have hope for the future of the world, if each of us puts our energy into such a project. Try to visualize a world where the environment is protected, fulfilling education and medical care are available, all people are respected, and spirituality is valued across the different religions.

What is our world destiny? The theology of Teilhard De Chardin saw humanity evolving and advancing upward around a vast spiral, to an ultimate Point Omega. From the beginnings of the universe, of the sun, of the earth, and finally the creation of humankind, humankind is evolving to take part in some great purpose. Humanity has come through the throes of creation (and we are still creating ourselves every day); we go through the process of redemption (and we help to redeem each other every day); and finally, there is the hope that we will appreciate the sanctity of the earth and achieve the sanctification of ourselves and of the people around us.

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. God bless you on your journeying.

from The First Sunday of Advent (2012) through The Solemnity of Christ the King (2013)

Readings and Femily for the First Sunday of Advent - Year C starts Dec.2,2012; also 2016,2020,etc.

Reading 1 is from Jeremiah 33:14-16

“The days are coming,” says our God, “when I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel and Judah. In those days, in that time, I will raise up for them a just shoot; who shall do what is right and just in the land. In those days Judah shall be safe and Jerusalem shall dwell secure; they shall call that good person, The Creator of Justice.”

Responsorial Psalm is #25:4-5, 8-10, 14

Response: To you, The Everlasting, I lift my soul.

Your ways, Everlasting God, make known to me; teach me your paths,

Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and for you I wait all the day.

Response: To you, The Everlasting, I lift my soul.

Good and upright is The Everlasting God; showing sinners the way.

Guiding the humble to justice, and teaching them righteous ways.

Response: To you, The Everlasting, I lift my soul.

The paths of The Everlasting are kindness and constancy toward those who keep the covenant and the decrees.

The friendship of The Everlasting is with those who obey the covenant, which is given for their instruction.

Response: To you, The Everlasting, I lift my soul.

Reading 2 is from 1 Thessalonians 3:12—4:2

Brothers and sisters: May The Everlasting God make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, just as we have shown concern for you, so as to strengthen your hearts to be blameless in holiness before The Everlasting God at the coming of Jesus Christ with all the holy ones. Amen. Finally, beloved brothers and sisters, we earnestly ask and exhort you in Jesus Christ to make more and more progress in the kind of life that you are meant to live, the life that The Everlasting God wants for you. You have received from us how you should conduct yourselves to please our God, and you know the instructions we gave you on the authority of Jesus.

Gospel is from Luke 21:25-28, 34-36

Jesus said to his disciples: “There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on earth nations will be in dismay, perplexed by the roaring of the sea and the waves. People will die of fright in anticipation of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Mediator between God and the Human coming in a cloud with power and great glory. But when these signs begin to happen, stand erect and raise your heads because your redemption is at hand. Beware that your hearts do not become drowsy from carousing and drunkenness and the anxieties of daily life, and that day catch you by surprise like a trap. For that day will assault everyone who lives on the face of the earth. Be vigilant at all times and pray that you have the strength to escape the tribulations that are imminent and to stand before the Mediator.”

Femily: Human Fulfillment

Hans Kung, the German theologian, has said, “God wants our fulfillment.” This is not just personal fulfillment; it is community fulfillment. Fulfillment will not come easily if we greet each day with anxieties and fall into drunkenness to blot out the miseries. We are to be vigilant and pray for strength. We are to share our bounty with our neighbor. We are to bring the nations of the world together to create a fulfilled world. We can do this if we follow the helping and healing agenda of Jesus, who has been called the Mediator between God and the human being.

Does God want everyone’s fulfillment? Does he care about the elderly prisoner? If we wanted fulfillment for the formerly incarcerated, what kind of a community would we help them to build? The incarcerated are not simply statistics; they are human beings seeking personal fulfillment.

The incarcerated are the young who have been mislead by poor social environments into gang warfare or drug use. They are the adults who lack reading and social skills, employability, and support systems. Half of the incarcerated have reading difficulties, Autism, Attention Deficit Disorder, etc. Eleven percent of the incarcerated are diagnosed with mental health problems. There are those of the incarcerated who committed horrible crimes 50 years ago and have regretted their actions ever since. Some of the incarcerated are in prison for crimes they did not commit. Many of the incarcerated in foreign countries are political prisoners, or are accused unjustly and awaiting a trial that does not take place.

If the elderly are to be considered for release, how can we help their reentry back into society? Are we to expect that they will return to a life of crime? Statistics say NO. There is very little recidivism by the elderly who are released back into society. See R. Greco’s paper: http://www.aging.state.ny.us/explore/project2015/briefs04.htm

When considering reentry for the elderly, there are two areas that can undergo transformation: First, there is the legal area. We can encourage New York State legislators to pass a POPS Bill. Second there is the policy area. What policies can NYDOCS implement to change the lives and expectations of the incarcerated and their families?

NYDOCS might consider the effective programs that are being run in the Correctional Service of Canada. Their focus is: “The greatest protection that can be offered to the community is to assist offenders, throughout the sentence, to change their criminal behavior and to help them learn to live by the rules of society. This preparation includes programming to meet specific needs and providing opportunities to demonstrate progress through transfers to reduced security or conditional release, including temporary absences, work release, or statutory release.”

The elderly could be released into a sophisticated parole community which might have the following characteristics: Remodel a prison into a condo for elderly parolees. Persons assigned to this Prison-Turned-Condo will need programs that could be given in a pre-re-entry support environment. Programs that could be investigated as useful for elderly reentry might include:

(1) Education. For education programs check out Kenneth Gibson, the President of Donnelly College, 608 N 18th Street, Kansas City  KS 66102 (phone 913-621-8707) which holds a college program at Lansing Correctional Facility, Lansing  Kansas, under Warden David McKune. Then there is the Merle Cooper Program in New York State, and the Milwaukee Area Technical “College of the Air” Program, which would have the potential for increasing self-esteem and responsibility in many incarcerated persons.

(2) Employability. Also housed at Lansing Correctional Facility is a work release metal fabrication company, Zephyr Products founded by Fred Braun (913-651-7949). Can other states provide metal working jobs for elderly citizens who are reentering society? How could formerly incarcerated persons help to reduce environmental degradation? What jobs could they be trained for? What products could be manufactured that would help to save the environment? Would some company be interested in joining with parolees and those released, in the manufacture of wind turbines? Would it be possible to grow wind farms on every state prison campus? Could a reentry condo village have citizens who would be able to have specified areas for chicken farms or vegetable farms or horse farms?

(3) Microfinance Banking Support. Money might be needed to encourage private enterprise. There have been successful small loan companies operating in poor countries such as Bangladesh. Why should we exclude our own impoverished citizens from such helpful financing? Even larger banks are beginning to see that small loans can make big profits. ACCION International (56 Roland Street, Suite 300, Boston  MA  02129) (<www.accion.org>) has lent $12.3 billion over the years to 4.9 million people. FINCA International, Inc., (1101 14th Street N.W., 11th Floor, Washington DC 20005, phone 202-682-1510) has small loans that perpetually rotate, paid back close to 100%, making loans available to new entrepreneurs.

(4) Housing Construction. Habitat for Humanity (121 Habitat Street, Americus GA 31709) <www.habitat.org> is willing to help the poor around the globe with housing construction, Architectural drafting is available for the incarcerated who are able to pay a fee for a certificate (<johnson@nyworld.net>). Federal money is available under the National Affordable Housing Trust Act of 2007, which gives preference to developers who comply with Green Community Standards.

(5) Alternatives to Violence Programs, DOCS and Parole could make use of resources of persons formerly incarcerated such as those graduated from the SingSing Theology program. No guns, drugs, or alcohol would be allowed on such a parole campus housing community. Family counseling would be offered as families would be invited to live with their family member. Is there federal reentry money for such programs?

(6) Sports and competitions. What about a golf course, swimming pool, and entertainment as in other communities for the elderly, and all run by the elderly?

(7) Nursing care. Train the elderly to care for each other. Train correction officers in specialized nursing care, for Altzheimers, etc. Be sure there is a wait-free return to Social Security rolls and Medicaid upon reentry to the community. Supervisory nursing oversight should also be provided for carefully reevaluated sex offenders.

If we are to bring the nations together to create a fulfilled world, we will follow the helping and healing agenda of Jesus.

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. God bless you on your journeying.

Readings and Femily for the Second Sunday of Advent, - Year C Readings 2012,2016,2020,etc.

Reading 1 is from Baruch 5:1-9

Jerusalem, take off your robe of mourning and misery; put on the splendor of glory from God forever. Wrapped in the cloak of justice from Yahweh, bear on your head the mitre that displays the glory of the eternal name. For Yahweh will show all the earth your splendor; you will be named by Yahweh forever the peace of justice, the glory of Yahweh’s worship. Up, Jerusalem! Stand upon the heights; look to the east and see your children gathered from the east and the west at the word of the Holy One, rejoicing that they are remembered by Yahweh. Led away on foot by their enemies they left you, but Yahweh will bring them back to you, borne aloft in glory as on royal thrones. For Yahweh has commanded that every lofty mountain be made low, and that the age-old depths and gorges be filled to level ground, that Israel may advance secure in the glory of Yahweh. The forests and every fragrant kind of tree have overshadowed Israel at Yahweh’s command; for Yahweh is leading Israel in joy by glorious light, with mercy and justice for company.

Responsorial Psalm is #126:1-6

Response: Yahweh has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.

When Yahweh brought back the captives of Zion, we were like people dreaming.

Then our mouths were filled with laughter, and our tongues with rejoicing.

Response: Yahweh has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.

Then they said among the nations, “Their God has done great things for them.”

Yahweh has done great things for us; we are glad indeed.

Response: Yahweh has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.

Restore our fortunes, Yahweh, like the torrents in the southern desert.

Those who sow in tears shall reap rejoicing.

Response: Yahweh has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.

Although they go forth weeping, carrying the seed to be sown,

They shall come back rejoicing, carrying their sheaves.

Response: Yahweh has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.

Reading 2 is from Philippians 1:4-6, 8-11

Sisters and Brothers: I pray always with joy in my every prayer for all of you, because of your partnership for the Gospel from the first day until now. I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work in you will continue to complete it until the day of Christ Jesus. God is my witness, how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus. And this is my prayer: that your love may increase ever more and more in knowledge and every kind of perception, to discern what is of value, so that you may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ for the glory and praise of God.

Gospel is from Luke 3:1-6

In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias was tetrarch of Abilene, during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the desert. John went throughout the whole region of the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah: A voice of one crying out in the desert: “Prepare God’s way; make straight God’s paths. Every valley shall be filled and every mountain and hill shall be made low. The winding roads shall be made straight, and the rough ways made smooth, and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.”

Femily: The Salvation of God

Luke has John the Baptist proclaiming that all flesh shall see the salvation of God. Can we of today’s world see the salvation of God, or are we among the blind? John the Baptist was the son of a Jewish priest, which was a hereditary position. Therefore John himself was a priest who could perform priestly tasks such as baptism. The other John, John the Evangelist, wanted to make sure that his readers knew how special Jesus was. He has John the Baptist telling the crowds that Jesus is the Chosen One of God. Do we believe that Jesus is the Chosen One? Is that a fact for us, or is it dogma? Facts can be contested by evidence. Dogma is impervious to evidence. The creed is dogma. When we say a creed, do we feel that it is up-to-date for our world today? If we really believe that Jesus is the Chosen One, how should we act to show the rest of the world what Jesus taught?

Does the Salvation of God have anything to do with the future of Jerusalem and the human process of peace in the Near East? Are human beings responsible to settle human disputes over territories in an earth that belongs to all of God’s creatures?

The art of mediation has been around a long time. It has been a necessary piece of equipment for the survival of the human race. With world situations exploding all over the globe, it may be our greatest tool for humankind’s successful care of the world.

Many governments seem to be unable to care for the needs of their minorities. The wealthy often refuse to share their surplus with those who have nothing. When God has given the earth to all, it seems strange that those with money and power feel that the earth rightfully belongs to them. Mediation may be the best way to explain the needs of the poor to the rich, and to help the rich understand their possible fear or greed.

Liberation theology  gives an ethical understanding of God’s justice in the earth. We find that the poor are erupting all over the globe, and demanding life instead of death, food instead of guns, education instead of rule by force.

We can pinpoint certain situations where the poor are expressing discontent. Usually they attempt to do this non-violently, but often we find justified violence in their actions. If instead of an armed response to a discontented minority, there were a mediation council available, problems would be solved more speedily, and armed confrontation could be avoided.

We admired Secretary of State Clinton making a trip to the Near East in pursuit of a peaceful settlement of the Palestinian debacle, but if she really wanted results, she should have contacted some mediation experts before she left. Going with a preconceived plan usually insures defeat; it gives a signal that you may not be listening to anyone, and that you may have exaggerated ideas of your own abilities and sagacity. Such a signal puts a psychological block before anyone you are attempting to help.

There are knowledgeable people available who are willing to help out in mediation situations, and who are also very eager to resolve world tensions. The United Nations has demonstrated that it can aid in settling world disputes if given a chance. If we want a successful world guidance organization, we should take advantage of the resources to be found in that body. The future of our earth may depend on the role that the United Nations can play in assisting people and nations to listen to each other, and thereby solving their problems.

Any would-be mediator might possibly take pointers from Diego Cordovez, a recent U.N. Under Secretary for Special Political Affairs, who consulted with all parties concerned before coming up with a tentative proposal for Afghans and Russians. He approached all those with major interests in the confrontation, as a disinterested party or an ‘empty vessel’. After absorbing all views, he was able to see areas of agreement and areas where there was room for give and take, that would make an acceptable or win-win situation for all concerned.  It was apparent that both sides were glad to put an end to killing each other.

Another interesting mediation situation developed when a graduate student from the University of Colorado went to Nicaragua to work on his doctorate thesis.  He became knowledgeable of both sides of the dispute, and found that he was in the middle of a mediation situation although he had no training in this direction.

Mediation between countries is not so very different from mediation between individuals. After all, it is frequently the policies of a few leaders at the top which have caused the problems between nations, and it is a few top brass who will decide to accept or reject peace proposals.

Facing reality, it is really impossible to bring all citizens to a mediation table, and they usually are not knowledgable on all of the problems. They only know the issues from hearsay.  Often the issues are so obscure, that they must be embroidered upon, in order to rouse the citizens to a fighting pitch. Witness the average American citizen’s acceptance of a president’s earlier antipathy for the ‘evil empire’, and their present willingness to believe that Russia is now trustworthy. In the early Russian-Afghan situation some of the rebellious Afghan commoners reportedly thought that the enemy they were fighting was the British. Considering the easy manipulation of the masses, it seems to be necessary to deal with the individuals who are the prime manipulators, in a mediation situation.

With the overcrowding of our court system, the use of volunteer mediators is gaining ground as an inexpensive and rapid way to settle person versus person disputes. When done between individuals face-to-face, mediation may also lead to a healing of relationships, which is rarely true in a lawyer-represented court settlement. In the last ten years several states have implemented mediation as a legal process, and mediations are frequently done between landlord and tenant, between disputant neighbors, in small claims situations, and for certain aspects of divorce cases.

The standard procedure in a mediation between individuals is to set up a voluntary face-to-face meeting with the two concerned parties in the presence of one or two mediators, preferably volunteers, who are disinterested, that is, having no acquaintance with either party and no bias on the argument. The mediator explains that we all see situations from different viewpoints, and stresses the need for both sides to listen carefully to each other. Then each party takes turns in telling their story, while the other listens without interrupting, taking notes on points that he disagrees on. The mediator attempts to see where the ideas of the two parties converge, and helps them to reach a solution that has positive implications for both.

Not all such local mediations are successful, but in the cases that fail, there is the thought that, through listening, the parties have come to greater understanding of one another’s problems.

Mediation committees have been set up in some city high schools, where trained volunteer mediators are from the peer group.  In solving some altercations, it has been found helpful to drape a cloth between the antagonists, as they find the sight of each other, too threatening. After listening awhile, the cloth may be taken away.

Some mediations are better done between second parties. The first party, who may be too upset to be rational, can pour out the problems of his heart, to his second. The two seconds may come before a mediator to see what can be ironed out. The proposed solution is carried back to the original antagonists, and if accepted by both, they may be able to meet in person to verify acceptance.

Such a second party mediation method seems more suitable for international mediations. The United Nations could send delegates to act as seconds between two aggressive parties. Delegates should also be sent to other factions vitally concerned in the altercation. These delegates would be ‘empty vessels’ who would absorb the viewpoints of their assigned political blocs. The next step would be a mediation of these ‘seconds’ before a neutral, yet high ranking United Nations’ official. The results of this meeting would go back to the disputants and others concerned in the situation, for their approval or disapproval. This process could be repeated for as long as necessary; for as more facts surface, more acceptance would be likely to develop. Eventually the leaders of opposing groups might reach the point where they could sit in the same room and sign their names to a formulated agreement. World peace will certainly come when there is more willingness to have open discussions between nations and individuals.

Thus we see one possible reason why Hilary Clinton came home from her peace seeking trip, seemingly empty handed.  However, the trip may not have been totally fruitless. Whenever ideas are aired, and people listen to each other, those people come closer to understanding and peaceful settlements. If we all keep trying, perhaps we will be able to see the salvation of God.

For Communion: Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. You can make an email response to these readings, and you can make prayer requests. God bless you on your journeying.

Readings and Femily for Immaculate Conception of Blessed Virgin Mary - Dec.8, 2012; 2016,2020.etc.

Reading 1 is from Genesis 3:9-15,20

After the man, Adam, had eaten of the tree, Yahweh God called to the man and asked him, “Where are you?” He answered, “I heard you in the garden; but I was afraid, because I was naked, so I hid myself.” Then Yahweh asked, “Who told you that you were naked? You have eaten, then, from the tree of which I had forbidden you to eat!” The man replied, “The woman whom you put here with me, she gave me fruit from the tree, and so I ate it.” Yahweh then asked the woman, “Why did you do such a thing?” The woman answered, “The serpent tricked me into it, so I ate it.” Then Yahweh God said to the serpent: “Because you have done this, you shall be banned from all the animals and from all the wild creatures; on your belly shall you crawl, and dirt shall you eat all the days of your life. I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; her offspring will strike at your head, while you strike at their heels.” The man called his wife Eve, because she became the mother of all the living.

Responsorial Psalm is #98:1-4

Response: Sing to Yahweh a new song, for our God has done marvelous deeds.

Sing to Yahweh a new song, for our God has done wondrous deeds.

The right hand and holy arm have won victory for Yahweh.

Response: Sing to Yahweh a new song, for our God has done marvelous deeds.

Yahweh has made salvation known: in the sight of the nations Yahweh has revealed justice.

Yahweh has remembered to be faithful and kind toward the house of Israel.

Response: Sing to Yahweh a new song, for our God has done marvelous deeds.

All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of Yahweh.

Sing joyfully to Yahweh, all you lands; break into song; sing praise.

Response: Sing to Yahweh a new song, for our God has done marvelous deeds.

Reading 2 is from Romans 8:31-35, 37-39

A letter of Paul to the Romans: If God is for us, who is against us? God has not spared even Christ Jesus, but has delivered him up for us all; how can God fail to grant us also all things? Who shall make accusation against the elect of God? It is God who justifies! Who shall condemn? It is Christ Jesus who died; yes, and rose again, he who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us! Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or hunger, or nakedness, or danger, or the sword? Even as it is written, “For your sake we are put to death all the day long. We are regarded as sheep for the slaughter.” But in all these things we overcome because of him who has loved us. For I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus.

Gospel is from Luke 1:26-38

The angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary. And coming to her, the angel said, “Hail, full of grace! God is with you.” But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and Yahweh God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his Kingdom there will be no end.” But Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?” The angel said to her in reply, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. And behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren; for nothing is impossible for God.” Mary said, “Behold, I am God’s handmaid. May it be done to me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.

Femily: The Hierarchy Is Requested to Be In Solidarity With Women.

The story of Mary has made the Church think twice about whether the Holy Spirit is able to reside in the female bosom. We women were particularly glad to greet the arrival of the papal document Sollicitudo Rei Socialis, for now, at long last, a pope has put his blessing on the possibility of women priests, or what is better yet, the equality of men and women in the service of God. This encyclical instructs us that we should be in solidarity with all human beings and with the earth. Solidarity is defined as a firm and persevering determination to commit oneself to the common good, the good of each and all and of the natural world. There is, under this umbrella of solidarity, seemingly no need for priests or hierarchal authority, but all who dedicate themselves to the good of each and all, and of the earth, will be welcomed into fellowship. In this world of solidarity there will be none to demand that others conform to his or her particular brand of religion. There will be understanding of the oppressed and acceptance of others’ cultures as equal to one’s own. There will not be authoritative leaders, but all will have the opportunity to use their talents for the betterment of the community when needs arise.

This message needs to be given to the world, particularly since women everywhere continue to be given secondary status. For instance, 1666 women in India were put to death over a twenty two month period for reneging on their dowry payments (a 1986 statistic), although an Indian law has made this illegal. Shockingly, some Indians living in the United States also reverted to outdated customs, and murdered their wives for this same reason. This wife-destruction is an extreme example, but in most countries of the world, women are still not recognized as optimum representations of humanity. Chinese families continue to desire male babies. Even in our country there are still other problems concerning equal treatment of the sexes. We see that women are often not paid as much as men, for equal or superior work. Employers continue to have the nagging fear that a woman will take time off to have a baby, and thus deprive the business temporarily of her services. No one seems to pay heed when individual men prove to be erratic in their job habits. No one seems to applaud when individual women manage babies and careers successfully. With those who hire and fire going under certain false assumptions, the majority of women are paid less.

We can certainly add women to the societal list of the mistreated and misunderstood, especially in the religious context. Most Christian religious institutions that proclaim there is ‘neither male or female in Christ’, have marriage ceremonies where one man formally gives away his daughter as property to another man. One of the first theological statements in Genesis is frequently interpreted as woman being less pleasing to God. Eve could only respond to Adam’s pointing finger by placing blame on the snake. Thus we women find it very heartening that a religious personage such as the pope in the important document Sollicitudo Rei Socialis is urging all who will listen (which certainly should include the hierarchy and himself), to be in solidarity with, and give equal treatment to women.

This new stand of openness to women’s equality must have been a very difficult position for a pope to take, coming as he does from patriarchal origins. From my personal experience with the American descendents of East European immigrants, I know how ingrained these attitudes can be. As infants we all arrive into a scene of certain cultural expectations. A dear friend of mine was born female into a patriarchal German-American family. She knew that only the male children would be given the prize of a college education. Therefore there was no need for her to apply herself in highschool, where she understandably did poorly. She begged to be allowed to enter the convent as a way out, seeking her own individuality, but this, too, was denied her. She was expected to go to business and to be the support of her parents in their old age (whether she was married or single). The male offspring could do pretty much as they pleased, and the frugal assets of the father were plowed into the sons. The sons were urged: Be a priest! Get a good education! Marry and have sons that you can be proud of! The white American male descended from Germanic ancestors had it made.

Somewhere in the back of these brothers’ minds must have resided guilt feelings about why brothers should receive all the benefits and sisters should go deprived. They must have questioned the fact that their sister took on the added burden of parental support, and hence even fed the kitty that funded their education.

If this is the way it was in his family, perhaps the Pope at this late point in his life, was led to question it all. It must have taken a tremendous effort on his part to broaden his cultural viewpoint. Perhaps he deliberately attempted to envision a reversal of roles in order to enhance his perspective.  He could have gone to the extreme of visualizing a culture where only the women were given a college education. They became the politicians, the statespersons, the doctors, the lawyers, the bankers, and the priestesses. They maintained their positions in spite of pregnancies and child nurturing, timing their vacations to two weeks off for infant birth. The men in this culture were the caretakers, and the business woman who birthed a child would pump her breasts for milk every morning and put it in the refrigerator for the day’s supply. She could do her share of parenting on her return from work.

The male in this arrangement, doing the fathering, and cuddling the baby as he fed it breast milk from bottles, would round down any self-assertive or violent edges that he might have, in day-by-day caring for his offspring. He would grow in understanding and patience, and learn positive ways to further relationships and encourage growth in others.

We might even speculate that in this reversed culture, the women would wear short hair and gray suits, while the men could have the fun of letting their hair grow and donning bright skirts. The men would surely be expected to rigorously uphold the female priesthood, which might not be celibate, as most women could certainly handle both the job of priestess, and a family.

No matter what positive musings the Pope may have had while thinking of culture turned inside out, we must be realistic, and admit that a totally female oriented society would be hard to achieve. There would probably always be a few males who would fail to fill the mold of acquiescent housewife. Our women generals would run the risk of being usurped by the occasionally militant male. The world governing bodies might insist on admitting a few male members to insure reception of a male point of view.

In letting his imagination go like this, the Pope might have even wondered why he never before considered that men actually could be the primary rearers of children. Perhaps in his youth (as may have many other young men), he got turned off by the thought of changing diapers. Many women, too, have been turned off by diapers, but when the necessity arises, they have risen to the challenge. Men, too, can rise to challenges, if pressed into such difficult extremes.

This consideration of diapers brings to mind what might be an important element in our sex education programs. If young men knew that they would be the ones who would be responsible for changing the diapers on any offspring that might be produced from their sexual activity, they might be more hesitant to experiment.

Having women the superior beings in charge of our world, with the men as secondary citizens, does not seem like the most palatable situation that could be imagined. It might be just as ridiculous as having males being the authority figures. But thank goodness, the Pope has told us that all are to be in solidarity with each other. We do not have to be either of these cultural extremes, with either men or women as dominant. Of course, nothing is perfect, and we will never be able to achieve absolute equality between the sexes, but to know that men are capable of child rearing, and not necessarily the superior authorities ordained by God to order women around, is a great comfort to female self-esteem. Thus we sincerely thank the Pope for his insights in Sollicitudo Rei Socialis for only by being in solidarity, can the two sexes come to the fullest appreciation of each other.

For Communion: Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. You can make an email response to these readings, and you can make prayer requests. God bless you on your journeying.

Readings and Femily for the Third Sunday of Advent - Year C; 2012,2016,2020,etc.

Reading 1 is from Zephaniah 3:14-18a

Shout for joy, Daughters of Zion! Sing joyfully, Nation of Israel! Be glad and exult with all your heart, Daughters of Jerusalem! Yahweh has removed the judgment against you; Yahweh has turned away your enemies; Yahweh, the Ruler of Israel, is in your midst; you have no further misfortune to fear. On that day, it shall be said to Jerusalem: Fear not, People of Zion, be not discouraged! Yahweh, your Savior, is in your midst; Yahweh will rejoice over you with gladness, and renew you in love, Yahweh will sing joyfully because of you, as one sings at festivals.

Responsorial Psalm is Isaiah 12:2-6

Response: Cry out with joy and gladness: for among you is the great and Holy One of Israel.

God indeed is my savior; I am confident and unafraid.

My strength and my courage is Yahweh, my savior. With joy you will draw water at the fountain of salvation.

Response: Cry out with joy and gladness: for among you is the great and Holy One of Israel.

Give thanks to Yahweh, acclaim Yahweh’s name; among the nations make known Yahweh’s deeds;

Proclaim how exalted is the name of the Holy One of Israel.

Response: Cry out with joy and gladness: for among you is the great and Holy One of Israel.

Sing praise to Yahweh for his glorious achievement; let Yahweh be known throughout all the earth.

Shout with exultation, City of Zion, for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel!

Response: Cry out with joy and gladness: for among you is the great and Holy One of Israel.

Reading 2 is from Philippians 4:4-7

Sisters and Brothers: Rejoice in God always. I say it again: Rejoice! Your kindness should be known to all. Our God is near. Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ. Gospel is from Luke 3:10-18

The crowds asked John the Baptist, “What should we do?” He said to them in reply, “Whoever has two cloaks should share with the person who has none. And whoever has food should do likewise.” Even tax collectors came to be baptized and they said to him, “Teacher, what should we do?” He answered them, “Stop collecting more than what is prescribed.” Soldiers also asked him, “And what is it that we should do?” He told them, “Do not practice extortion, do not falsely accuse anyone, and be satisfied with your wages.” Now the people were filled with expectation, and all were asking in their hearts whether John might be the Christ. John answered them all, saying, “I am baptizing you with water, but one mightier than I is coming. I am not worthy to loosen the thongs of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fan is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.” Exhorting them in many other ways, John preached good news to the people.

Femily: Sharing with Others.

Many religious groups seem to have splinter groups that advocate violence against outsiders. At the same time a statement of the Golden Rule is found in all the great religions of the world, “Do not do to others what you would not want done to yourself.”

One root cause of terrorism is retaliation for abuse that has been perpetrated in the past. Hitler felt persecuted by some Jewish people and retaliated by persecuting the Jews in his search for a ‘Master Race’. The Jews, in their return to Israel, bulldozed the homes of Palestinians. The Palestinians, seeing their children denied homes and education, began terrorist attacks on Israelis. George Bush believed his ‘Daddy’ was the object of an Iraqi assassination attempt. He felt he should retaliate against the Iraqis. The Iraqis watched their children suffer under the First Gulf War, the Trade Embargo, and the bombing and occupation of the Second Gulf War. The military stand in Iraq through force and destruction of religious buildings, city market places, and homes does not mean we have won a war against terrorism. It signifies that we have failed to win hearts because we have terrorized others.

When I observe the trashing of other countries with soldiers and weaponry, I tremble for the future of the peoples of the earth. I am distressed for all those bombed and traumatized civilians. The occupying soldiers are also traumatized by the horror of what they do and by the retaliation of those who feel oppressed. Hate is running loose and hate generates more hatred. Retaliation is not a solution but an escalation. How do people work their way through the traumas of the past?

The peoples of the world need forgiveness, release from oppressive governments, safety from militarism, slavery, disease, poverty, and injustice. We need to listen to each other, so we can heal each other’s hurts, and generate understanding and compassion. What our nation could use is a Department of Compassion, an ecumenical group of ethical persons who would help to bestow justice and kindness on our own people and the people of other nations.

Let’s not blow our chances at being a viable world. Could our political leaders possibly follow the advice, “Love your enemies. Bless those who curse you and pray for those who despitefully use you and persecute you”?

The Golden Rule as described by major faiths, can be summed up as in “Is this not the fast that I choose … to share your bread with the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into your house?”

Restorative Justice is the practice of the Golden Rule. A mission statement of all peoples, tribes, and religions could include a phrase dedicating the members of planet earth to share the earth with each other, to respect all people, and to lead all people to wholeness and fullness of life. If I will respect you and you will respect me, then we will live in peace. Dishonor anybody and we dishonor ourself and our idea of God.

For Communion: Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. You can make an email response to these readings, and you can make prayer requests. God bless you on your journeying.

Readings and Femily for the Fourth Sunday of Advent, - Year C – 2012; 2016,2020.etc.

Reading 1 is from Micah 5:1-4

Thus says our Loving God: “You, Bethlehem-Ephrathah too small to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel; whose origin is from of old, from ancient times.” Therefore God will give them up, until the time when she who is to give birth has borne, and the rest of their kindred shall return to the tribe of Israel. That good ruler shall stand firm and shepherd the flock through the strength and in the majestic name of our Loving God; and the flock shall remain, for now God’s greatness shall reach to the ends of the earth; as this ruler shall bring peace.

Responsorial Psalm is #80:2-4, 15-19

Response: Loving God, make us turn to you; let us see your face, and we shall be saved.

O shepherd of Israel, hearken, from your throne upon the cherubim, shine forth.

Rouse your power, and come to save us.

Response: Loving God, make us turn to you; let us see your face, and we shall be saved.

Once again, O Loving God of Hosts, look down from heaven, and see; take care of this vine;

Protect what your right hand has planted, the human person whom you yourself made strong.

Response: Loving God, make us turn to you; let us see your face, and we shall be saved.

May your help be with the person of your right hand, with the human person whom you yourself made strong.

Then we will no more withdraw from you; give us new life, and we will call upon your name.

Response: Loving God, make us turn to you; let us see your face, and we shall be saved.

Reading 2 is from Hebrews 10:5-10

Brothers and sisters: When Christ came into the world, he said: “Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; in holocausts and sin offerings you took no delight. Then I said, ‘As is written of me in the scroll, behold, I come to do your will, O God.’” First he says, “Sacrifices and offerings, holocausts and sin offerings, you neither desired nor delighted in.” These are offered according to the law. Then he says: “Behold, I come to do your will.” He takes away the first to establish the second. By this ‘will,’ we have been consecrated through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Gospel is from Luke 1:39-45

Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by God would be fulfilled.”

Femily: Culture in the Hill Country

The home of Zechariah and Elizabeth was in the hill country of Judea. Mary had to walk a long way to be greeted by her relative Elizabeth. Perhaps there is a mythical message in this little story. Zechariah and Elizabeth were an elderly couple and doubtless practiced a conservative form of the Jewish religion. When the baby John leaps in his mother’s womb, we may be observing the joy of humanity in greeting a radical new way of thinking about the Godly.

Do our religious beliefs entrap us into conservative obedience to priestly culture? Do we assume that the Pope is infallible in his pronouncements? Do we feel more secure when we make the sign of the cross properly and faithfully attend Mass on Sundays and days of obligation? In the book by Joe Campbell, “The Inner Reaches of Outer Space,” (Alfred VanderMarck Editions, 1986, page 20), Campbell suggests that religion may be “misunderstood mythology.” A mythology can be a type of “control system.” This can be a good way to keep order, but it also may lead to non-thinking robots who are willing to kill each other.

With so much disorder in Africa today, it may lead to those with guns in an authority system taking children away from their parents, and confusing their societal structure. They may advise the children to kill their parents as a way of establishing a new order with different ethical values. On page 16 Campbell foresees how children can be turned from goodness and compassion, to participation in the dark side of humanity. He says, “in the fish pond of world history, the first requirement in the order of nature … is suppression of the natural impulse to mercy.” On page 63: “The basic urges are to survive, to generate offspring, to conquer and subdue.” When we consider the problems in some countries today, we feel helpless to act. We admit that we have an abundance of the world’s goods, but there does not seem to be any way to share our bounty with those who stand in the food lines waiting for a bowl of rice.

Perhaps like Mary we will have to walk a long way in order to get into touch with our relatives in the hill country. Perhaps we will find an infant in the womb or a quantity of kindness in our hearts that will help us to feed the hungry, get rid of military weaponry, and lessen our dependence on political power. May God give us the strength to stand up for what is right in God’s sight.

For Communion: Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. God bless you on your journeying.

Readings and Femily for The Nativity, Christmas Mass at Dawn - YearC; Dec.25,2012; 2016,2020,etc.

For Vigil Mass, see Matthew; for Midnight Mass, see Mark; for Mass During the Day, see John.

Reading 1 is from Isaiah 62:11-12

See, God proclaims to the ends of the earth: Say to the daughter of Zion, “Your savior comes bringing a reward and recompense for you. You shall be called the holy people, the redeemed of God, and you shall be called “Well populated,” a city that is not forsaken.

Responsorial Psalm is #97:1, 6, 11-12

Response: A light will shine on us this day: a Ruler is born for us.

God is king; let the earth rejoice; let the many isles be glad.

The heavens proclaim his justice, and all peoples see his glory.

Response: A light will shine on us this day: a Ruler is born for us.

Light dawns for the just; and gladness, for the upright of heart.

Be glad in God, you just, and give thanks to God’s holy name.

Response: A light will shine on us this day: a Ruler is born for us.

Reading 2 is from II Timothy 3:4-7

Beloved: When the kindness and generous love of God our savior appeared, not because of any righteous deeds we had done but because of God’s mercy, God saved us through the bath of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he richly poured out on us through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that we might be justified by grace and become heirs in hope of eternal life.

Gospel is from Luke 3:23-38

Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli, which was the son of Matthat, which was the son of Levi, which was the son of Melchi, which was the son of Janna, which was the son of Joseph, which was the son of Mattathias, which was the son of Amos, which was the son of Naum, which was the son of Esli, which was the son of Nagge, which was the son of Maath, which was the son of Mattathias, which was the son of Semei, which was the son of Joseph, which was the son of Juda, which was the son of Joanna, which was the son of Rhesa, which was the son of Zorobabel, which was the son of Salathiel, which was the son of Neri, which was the son of Melchi, which was the son of Addi, which was the son of Cosam, which was the son of Elmodam, which was the son of Er, which was the son of Jose, which was the son of Eliezer, which was the son of Jorim, which was the son of Matthat, which was the son of Levi, which was the son of Simeon, which was the son of Juda, which was the son of Joseph, which was the son of Jonan, which was the son of Eliakim, which was the son of Melea, which was the son of Menan, which was the son of Mattatha, which was the son of Nathan, which was the son of David, which was the son of Jesse, which was the son of Obed, which was the son of Booz, which was the son of Salmon, which was the son of Naasson, which was the son of Aminadab, which was the son of Aram, which was the son of Esrom, which was the son of Phares, which was the son of Juda, which was the son of Jacob, which was the son of Isaac, which was the son of Abraham, which was the son of Thara, which was the son of Nachor, which was the son of Saruch, which was the son of Ragau, which was the son of Phalec, which was the son of Heber, which was the son of Sala, which was the son of Cainan, which was the son of Arphaxad, which was the son of Sem, which was the son of Noe, which was the son of Lamech, which was the son of Mathusala, which was the son of Enoch, which was the son of Jared, which was the son of Maleleel, which was the son of Cainan, which was the son of Enos, which was the son of Seth, which was the son of Adam, which was the son of God.

Femily: Jesus as Descendant of David

Just who was Jesus anyway? Was he an heir to the throne of David? There must have been many descendants of David and Solomon. They had wives and concubines galore. Yes, Jesus was given the title Son of David. We think of him as Emanuel. He was also called Jesus the Nazarean.

What is a Nazarean? Most of the Christian population, when confronted with the word Nazarean, accept it off-handedly as just another name to go with the name of Jesus. Some of us assume that it has something to do with the village of Nazareth. As with many biblical utterances, there may be more to this word than meets the eye. Let’s explore some of the possibilities. Even though we are handicapped by being from another time, and another place, and another culture, we may achieve a slightly clearer picture of the person Jesus, if we investigate the language background of this name.

The Jerusalem Bible, John 19:19, tells us that when Jesus was crucified, Pilate put up a sign on the cross that stated the reason for this punishment. The accusation read, “Jesus the Nazarean, the King of the Jews.” There were a few protesters; they asked Pilate to reword it as, “He said, ‘I am King of the Jews.’” Pilate left the notice untouched, declaring, “What I have written, I have written.”

What is written in the Gospel is written for our benefit. Pilate’s choice of words has lasted across the centuries.  We may gain new spiritual insights from a fresh investigation of the sign on the cross and the appellation Nazarean.  This quotation in the Bible may give us more information in two areas.  It may lead us to new understandings about the person and personality of Jesus; it also may give us some ideas as to how the early Gentile community perceived this person. Perhaps Pilate is telling whomever will listen that Jesus is being given the death sentence because he is a princely expression of Jewish manhood from the town of Nazareth. Those of us who call ourselves Christian today accept the title King of the Jews without question. For us, what Pilate wrote, is a statement of truth and a statement of our faith. We find Jesus to be prophet, priest, and king, king not only of the Jews, but of all humankind, a ruler who ruled and continues to rule, with the power of love. This was not true of the people who walked by the foot of the cross. They were inclined to think of Jesus as a fool and a dreamer. They said scornfully, “Let him come down from the cross, and then we’ll believe his word” (Matthew 27:43).

We usually ignore the first half of the title, Jesus the Nazarean, seeming to feel that it is only a geographical designation which is to be interpreted as, “This Jesus came from a town called Nazareth in the area of Galilee.” It is not mentioned in the synoptic gospels. Geography may not have been all that Pilate had in mind. Perhaps Pilate’s wife gave her husband some ideas about the person Jesus when she sent him the message reported in Matt 27:19, “Have nothing to do with that Just One; I have been upset all day by a dream I had about him.” Just One is a title used for Jesus by Luke (Acts 3:14; 7:52; 22:14) to emphasize Jesus’ part in the fulfillment of sacred history. In spite of his cowardly actions before the incensed religious leaders, Pilate may have believed in Jesus as a just prophet and wise leader.

Matthew reports that the Holy Family turned aside to the town of Nazareth on their return from Egypt (Matthew 2:23): “There he settled in a town called Nazareth. In this way the words spoken through the prophets were to be fulfilled:— ‘He will be called a Nazarean.’” Matthew leads us to believe that the town of Nazareth or the name Nazarean is a help in fulfilling the words of certain scriptures.

There are positive Old Testament scriptures that affirm Bethlehem as the birthplace of the prince (Micah 5:1), and Jerusalem as his favored city (Joel 4:16; Jer 3:17; Zechariah 8:15), but Nazareth is among the unknown. It is so unknown that when Helen and Constantine showed an interest in Israel in the early fourth century, they really had to search around to find Nazareth. They settled for a place that had the Arabic name Nasara. The people of Nasara were glad to oblige, and claim their famous son, the Nazarean. A local well was established as the Well of Mary, and a location was designated for Joseph’s shop. The rest of us today are glad to firmly accept these questionable beginnings, and if they are not the original true sites, we have made them holy by custom, by many prayers and reverences, and by belief in order to fulfill other prophecy (Isaiah 8:23 – 9:1) concerning the land of Zebulon and Naphtali and Galilee of the Gentiles. However, nowhere is he called “Jesus the Capernaumean”. The term Galilee is used frequently, but is not used in a sense that gives Jesus any authority. He is called “Jesus, the one from Nazareth of Galilee” (Matthew 21:11) and his followers are referred to as Galileans, but this seems to be geographical, or to put them in a lesser category. Pilate inquires if Jesus is from Galilee (Luke 23:6), but on the crucifixion sign, this fact seems to recede before the importance of Jesus being Nazarean. The Old Testament prophecies about Galilee seem to have less weight than the Nazarean prophecies Matthew alludes to in chapter 2:23. John 7:41,52 has to face up to the objection, “Would the Christ be from Galilee? … Prophets do not come out of Galilee.”

The town of Nazareth is not mentioned anywhere in the Old Testament, so it is difficult to discover what prophecies Matthew had in mind. Even in a New Testament mention of Nazareth, the town seems to be given a poor reputation. On being told that Jesus is the son of Joseph and from Nazareth, Nathaniel queries sarcastically, “Is anything good able to come out of Nazareth?” (John 1:46) However, even in this fairly obvious quote, John may be giving us a double meaning. One derivation of the name Nazareth may have to do with carpenter’s chips. Nathaniel may be asking if anything worth while can come from the craftsman’s leftover wood shavings.

We can do an analysis of Nazarean type words in the Old Testament. Like the name of the town, the title Nazarean is also unknown in the Old Testament. Hebrew or Aramaic words that are associated with the word nazar include the Hebrew root word neser which means bud or branch, a name for the Messiah which is foretold in Isaiah 11:1. The word nesure also has connotations of the chosen remnant or the faithful minority. A Nazarean may be in the direct line of descendants of David, an heir to the throne of the Kingdom of David. Perhaps that is why there are two geneaologies for Jesus that are different, one in Matthew and one in Luke. Some biblical scholars seize on nasor or nazir, which can mean one who observes, keeps vows, or keeps the mysteries. Noser and nosar contain the idea of to take care of or to save.  Nosar might also have to do with the word preach. Syriac versions of the word refer to prophets, and the Syriac nesar has the translation of to sing, to celebrate, to glorify God. The Aramaic nasora also meant singer or prophet.

Further associated meanings of the title Nazarean may stem from the Hebrew noseri, having to do with knowledge, which is related to the Greek word gnostic. Thus, the followers of Jesus in the early centuries, besides being termed Christians, were sometimes called Nazareans or Gnostics depending on the language and beliefs in their area of operation. It should also be mentioned that the Greeks have a word naos which has to do with the holy place of the temple. Perhaps the Gospel of Matthew is making a play on words that goes off in all these separate, yet appropriate directions.

The nazir or vowed ones of the Old Testament have their regulations described in Numbers 6. Adherents are to abstain from wine and strong drink. They are to let their hair grow (or cut it if it becomes contaminated). They are not to go near a corpse and are to observe certain offering rituals. One personage in the Old Testament who took Nazarite vows was probably Samuel (I Samuel 1:24-28). This vowing system changed down through the years. According to Hebrew writings all a person had to do was to enter his room and say privately, “I will be a Nazarite, and I will do this portion of the vows.” He could chose his own period of time to be in the Nazarite state. It did not have to be a lifelong commitment, but could be more on the order of a temporary vocation. Even a woman could be a Nazarite. Hannah, the mother of Samuel, drank no strong drink (I Samuel 1:15). The Song of Hannah in I Samuel 2 may have been a type of Nazarite declaration. Correspondingly, in the New Testament the Magnificat of Mary (Luke 1:46-55) may also be related to the Nazarite sect. The phrase handmaid of the Lord may have been a Nazarite expression used to emphasize her dedication to God.

As the Song of Hannah and the Magnificat of Mary are similar, perhaps we can assume that Jesus was consecrated a Nazarite in a manner corresponding to the consecration of Samuel. Parents could make Nazarite vows for their children, and it is related in Luke 2:24 that Jesus’ parents did make a prescribed offering. Samuel was taken to the temple and put in the service of Eli the Priest at a very early age (I Samuel 1:28). Jesus also went to the temple and announced that he had to be about his Father’s business (Luke 2:49). Biblical prophecies which would tie in with the word nazir would be those which referred to the Holy One or the Just One, the One separated out.

Getting back to Pilate, who came from a background of Roman deities, could the inscription on the cross mean that Pilate recognized Jesus as a person who had made a vow of some sort to God?  Perhaps he had come to believe, in the space of time of the trial, that Jesus was somehow a Son of the Hebrew God or united with that God in a special way. Jesus’ home town was not important to Pilate. He had learned that Jesus came from Galilee, and if geography were important, Pilate could have written “Jesus the Galilean” or “Jesus the Capernaumean” on the inscription.

There is one more comment on the word Nazarean. There is a writing called The Gospel of Philip that comes out of Syria in the second half of the third century. This is one of the gospels that was rejected by the early church when it made up its canon for the Bible. Speaking about the names of Jesus, the author says, “The Nazarean is he who reveals what is hidden. Christ has everything in himself, whether man or angel or mystery, and the Father” (Gospel of Philip 56). This passage may shed some light on the term Nazarean. It may be saying that Jesus the Nazarean is the revealer of hidden wisdom. He gives us the wisdom of God. He is the Word of God. He reveals the characteristics of God, and thus reveals God.

Going back to our original problem, we can now answer the question as to where in the Old Testament the prophets speak of the coming One as the revealer of wisdom, the revealer of God, the bearer of God’s integrity and justice to the people?

As to being the revealer of wisdom, Jesus in the first chapter of The Gospel of John is related to the wisdom that was before the foundation of the world. This wisdom is described in Proverbs 8:22-31 and in Wisdom 1. Sirach 1:1 describes the origin of wisdom, “All wisdom is from the Lord, and it is his own forever.” Psalms 37:30 gives another place where wisdom resides, “The mouth of the Just gives wisdom.” Psalms 78:2 describes the methods used to proclaim God’s wisdom, “I am going to speak to you in parables and expound the mysteries of the past.” Again, Sirach 24:32-33 states, “I shall make discipline shine out, I shall pour out teaching like prophecy.”

As to the Messiah being the revealer of God, Isaiah 9:5-6 proclaims, “He shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.” Certainly someone who is called “Mighty God” reveals God. Someone who bears the title “Eternal Father” has knowledge beyond human knowledge. Jesus teaches the way of God in truth. Isaiah 35:8 speaks of “a sacred way.” Jesus himself admits that he reveals the way to God in John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” Jesus reveals the characteristics of God to humankind.

We do not know what quotes Matthew had in mind when he wrote that the words spoken by the prophets were to be fulfilled that said, “He will be called a Nazarean” (Matthew 2:23).  It may be that any and all quotes that speak of the Messiah as full of wisdom, vowed offering, or branch of Jesse, will qualify. We can take the word Nazarean to mean the teacher, the revealer of hidden wisdom, the dedicated one, the holy one, the sin offering, the sheep, the savior of the people, the shepherd, the gardener, the caretaker, or the chosen, and we can be reasonably near the truth that Matthew wanted to proclaim.

What did Pontius Pilate mean by the sign he put on the cross?  This testimony coming from a Gentile appears to intend to give total praise to the person Jesus. Pilate may have been cowed into ignoble inaction by the peer pressure of Jewish leaders, but he was a searcher after truth, and he appeared to have found truth in Jesus. To salve his hurting conscience, the least he could do was proclaim the greatness of the man he had wronged, in whom he had found no fault.

For Communion: Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Thank God for the gift of prayer. Thank God that Jesus prayed for you. Ask for any help you need, by sincere prayer. God bless you on your journeying.

Readings and Femily for The Holy Family - Year C – 2012; 2016,2020.etc.

Reading 1 is from Sirach 3:2-6, 12-14

God sets a father in honor over his children; a mother’s authority he confirms over her sons. Whoever honors their father atones for sins, and preserves themselves from payment for sin. When they pray, they are heard; they store up riches who revere their mother. Whoever honors their father is gladdened by children, and, when they pray, they are heard. Whoever reveres their father will live a long life; they who obey their father bring comfort to their mother. My children, take care of your father when he is old; grieve him not as long as he lives. Even if his mind fail, be considerate of him; revile him not all the days of his life; kindness to a father will not be forgotten, firmly planted against the debt of your sins—a house raised in justice to you.

Responsorial Psalm is #128:1-5

Response: Blessed are those who fear God and walk in God’s ways.

Blessed is everyone who fears God, who walks in God’s ways!

For you shall eat the fruit of your handiwork; blessed shall you be, and favored.

Response: Blessed are those who fear God and walk in God’s ways.

Your spouse shall be like a fruitful vine in the recesses of your home;

Your children like olive plants around your table.

Response: Blessed are those who fear God and walk in God’s ways.

Behold, thus is the person blessed who fears God.

May God bless you from Zion: may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem all the days of your life.

Response: Blessed are those who fear God and walk in God’s ways.

Reading 2 is from Colossians 3:12-21

Brothers and sisters: Put on, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving one another, if one has a grievance against another; as God has forgiven you, so must you also do. And over all these put on love, that is, the bond of perfection. And let the peace of Christ control your hearts, the peace into which you were also called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, as in all wisdom you teach and admonish one another, singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Wives, be subordinate to your husbands, as is proper in God. Husbands, love your wives, and avoid any bitterness toward them. Children, obey your parents in everything, for this is pleasing to God. Fathers, do not provoke your children, so they may not become discouraged.

Gospel is from Luke 2:41-52

Each year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the feast of Passover, and when he was twelve years old, they went up according to festival custom. After they had completed its days, as they were returning, the boy Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem, but his parents did not know it. Thinking that he was in the caravan, they journeyed for a day and looked for him among their relatives and acquaintances, but not finding him, they returned to Jerusalem to look for him. After three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions, and all who heard him were astounded at his understanding and his answers. When his parents saw him, they were astonished, and his mother said to him, “Son, why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been looking for you with great anxiety.” And he said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” But they did not understand what he said to them. He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them; and his mother kept all these things in her heart. And Jesus advanced in wisdom and age and favor before God and people.

Femily: The Education of Jesus

Where did Jesus get his education? Joseph and Mary must have given him some of his cultural wisdom. The Spirit of God must have whispered other thoughtful ideas into Jesus’ growing mind. The Dalai Lama also was given the opportunity to learn about compassion and kindness and the Good Spirit. Why can’t all the children of the world be given an education similar to that of Jesus or the Dalai Lama? Education for all the children of the world could include meaningful job preparation. People need meaningful work for personal fulfillment. Decent work leads to a person having a decent life. Where are the jobs in New York State? Are the children in New York State given appropriate job training, or do they stand on street corners selling drugs? Are there jobs for those coming out of prison? Are there jobs for the youth in our inner cities? It’s the same all over the world for those coming out of prison and for youth. Look at the youth in the Sudan. Look at the recidivism rate in our prisons. What kind of jobs can we make for youth and for prisoners? Prisoners and youth do not have the education for good jobs. Their parents could not afford to send them to MIT and Yale. But with the new age of videos and computers, youth and prisoners can study free courses on line. They may not be able to go on line, but others can go on line and tape these courses, and show them on a computer screen in the prisons and in assembly places for those who are on probation.

What courses are free to the poor of the world? MIT and a consortium of other colleges have courses that they have taped with the noble purpose of educating the poor of the world FOR FREE! Should the states take advantage of this marvelous offer?

The youth in our inner cities need mentors. The prisoners coming out of prison need people that can advise ex-prisoners as to how to stay out of trouble. Youth and prisoners both need jobs as well as education. While these youth and formerly incarcerated are being educated, they can also be working at jobs having to do with rebuilding our world.

In the Sudan and in Palestine, youth can be put to building housing. Why can’t the elderly prison population build themselves retirement homes on the grounds of some selected state prison facilities? These constructions could use geo-thermal heating. Prisoners could study other energy systems. They could erect wind turbine generators on prison acreage.

Do prisons give ethical courses to those in their care? Could mentors be trained to assist in giving education, job training, and ethical values to persons in prison? Would it be worth an experiment? Would Jesus have fulfilled his mission if he had been taken from his parents, given a gun, and trained in militarism?

For Communion: Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. God bless you on your journeying.

Readings and Femily for Solemnity of Blessed Virgin Mary – YearC, Jan.1,2013; 2017,2021etc.

Reading 1 is from Numbers 6:22-27

Then God said to Moses: “Speak to Aaron and his sons and tell them:- This is how you shall bless the Israelites. Say to them:- ‘God bless you and keep you! God let blessings shine upon you, and be gracious to you! God look upon you kindly and give you peace!’ So shall they invoke my name upon the Israelites, and I will bless them.”

Responsorial Psalm is #67:2-8

Response: May God bless us with God’s mercy.

May God have pity on us and bless us; may God let blessings shine upon us.

So may your way be known upon earth; among all nations, your salvation.

Response: May God bless us with God’s mercy.

May the nations be glad and exult because you rule the peoples in equity;

The nations on the earth you guide.

Response: May God bless us with God’s mercy.

May the peoples praise you, O God; may all the peoples praise you!

May God bless us, and may all the ends of the earth fear God!

Response: May God bless us with God’s mercy.

Reading 2 is from Galatians 4:4-7

Brothers and sisters: When the fullness of time had come, God sent God’s Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to ransom those under the law, so that we might receive adoption as children. As proof that you are God’s children, God sent the Spirit of the Son into our hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!” So you are no longer a slave but God’s child, and if God’s child, then also an heir, through God.

Gospel is from Luke 2:16-21

The shepherds went in haste to Bethlehem and found Mary and Joseph, and the infant lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known the message that had been told them about this child. All who heard it were amazed by what had been told them by the shepherds. And Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart. Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, just as it had been told to them. When eight days were completed for his circumcision, he was named Jesus, the name given him by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

Femily: On Blessings

God said to Moses: “Speak to Aaron and his sons and tell them: This is how you shall bless the Israelites. Say to them: God bless you and keep you! God let God’s face shine upon you, and be gracious to you! God look upon you kindly and give you peace!”

We don’t do enough blessing of each other. Can children bless their parents? Surely, that would be a nice thing to do. Can women bless men? Can all the women here find someone nearby to bless? Let’s make a great noise of blessing. Today is the Solemnity of Mary. Do you think Mary blessed her son and husband according to this blessing? Do you think Mary blessed the disciples of her son Jesus, both the women disciples and the men disciples? Do you think she blessed her son every day as he was growing up? If you are blessed with a friend to bless, show that you care for them by blessing them.

“Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart.” What does Christmas mean to you? What does it really mean? The shepherds went in haste to see a newborn baby. They saw hope for the world in the face of the child. They joined in delight with the joy of the parents.

The Jewish world at the time of Jesus’ birth had many different faith beliefs. There were astrologers, Pharisees, Saducees, Essenes, Nazareans, atheists, pagans, Buddhists, and many other categories. There were even hold-overs from goddess worship. What did Mary make of all this? What were her meditations as the shepherds clustered around her newborn baby? Did she hold their hope in her heart? Did she believe that her son would bring joy to all people? What do we think about Christmas today? Do we ask our children what wild material inventions they want for Christmas? Or do we tell them to meditate with Mary about the real needs of people in other parts of the world? What is the place for joy and blessings in our family gatherings? Let’s all say the blessing for the Israelites to each other.

For Communion: Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. God bless you on your journeying.

Readings and Femily for The Epiphany of Jesus – YearC, Jan.6,2013; 2017,2021,etc.

Reading 1 is from Isaiah 60:1-6

Rise up in splendor, Jerusalem! Your light has come, the glory of God shines upon you. See, darkness covers the earth, and thick clouds cover the peoples; but upon you God shines, and over you appears God’s glory. Nations shall walk by your light, and kings by your shining radiance. Raise your eyes and look about; they all gather and come to you: your sons come from afar, and your daughters in the arms of their nurses. Then you shall be radiant at what you see, your heart shall throb and overflow, for the riches of the sea shall be emptied out before you, the wealth of nations shall be brought to you. Caravans of camels shall fill you, dromedaries from Midian and Ephah; all from Sheba shall come bearing gold and frankincense, and proclaiming the praises of God.

Responsorial Psalm is #72:1-2, 7-8, 10-13.

Response: Loving God, every nation on earth will adore you.

O God, with your judgment endow the king, and with your justice, the king’s children;

They shall govern your people with justice and your afflicted ones with judgment.

Response: Loving God, every nation on earth will adore you.

Justice shall flower in those days, and profound peace, till the moon be no more.

May God rule from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth.

Response: Loving God, every nation on earth will adore you.

The kings of Tarshish and the Isles shall offer gifts; the kings of Arabia and Sheba shall bring tribute.

All kings shall pay God homage, all nations shall serve God.

Response: Loving God, every nation on earth will adore you.

For God shall rescue the poor when they cry out, and the afflicted when they has no one to help them.

God shall have pity for the lowly and the poor; the lives of the poor God shall save.

Response: Loving God, every nation on earth will adore you.

Reading 2 is from Ephesians 3:2-3, 5-6

Brothers and sisters: You have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace that was given to me for your benefit, namely, that the mystery was made known to me by revelation. It was not made known to people in other generations as it has now been revealed to God’s holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit: that the Gentiles are co-heirs, members of the same body, and copartners in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.

Gospel is from Matthew 2:1-12

When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of King Herod, behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage.” When King Herod heard this, he was greatly troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. Assembling all the chief priests and the scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it has been written through the prophet: And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; since from you shall come a ruler, who is to shepherd my people Israel.” Then Herod called the magi secretly and ascertained from them the time of the star’s appearance. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search diligently for the child. When you have found him, bring me word, that I too may go and do him homage.” After their audience with the king they set out, and behold, the star that they had seen at its rising preceded them, until it came and stopped over the place where the child was. They were overjoyed at seeing the star, and on entering the house they saw the child with Mary his mother. They prostrated themselves and did him homage. Then they opened their treasures and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed for their country by another way.

Femily: Epiphany

The Epiphany of Christ means the appearance of the God’s Wisdom on earth. Shall we listen for God’s message to us? Shall we compose a new song to greet this Word of Wisdom? Or shall we continue on with the same-old-same-old? If our economic policies brought us to the brink of disaster before, shall we continue on in the same vein, and fall into the same trap ad infinitum?

If a fire is kept confined and under control, it gives warmth and light to those who gather around it. What can we think about the community of people on the earth whose economic drives are out of control, who threaten each other with nuclear weapons, whose sex drives are out of control, who suffer from AIDs and lack of health care, and still resort to the health care industries and the military-industrial complex expecting a way out of their dilemmas?

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” We might meditate on how Jesus treated women, such as Mary Magdalene or the Samaritan woman at the well. We might think how our own attitude increases or decreases the solidarity between men and women, between black and white, between employee and employer, between those of one nation and those of another nation.

Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. God bless you on your journeying.

Readings and Femily for the First Sunday in Ordinary Time – YearC; 2013,2017,2021,etc.

Reading 1 is from Isaiah 40:1-5, 9-11

Comfort, give comfort to my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her servitude is at an end, her guilt is expiated; indeed, she has received from the hand of God double for all her sins. A voice cries out: In the desert prepare the way of our God! Make straight in the wasteland a highway for our God! Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill shall be made low; the rugged land shall be made a plain, the rough country, a broad valley.Then the glory of God shall be revealed, and all people shall see it together; for the mouth of God has spoken. Go up on to a high mountain, Zion, herald of glad tidings; cry out at the top of your voice, Jerusalem, herald of good news! Fear not to cry out and say to the cities of Judah: Here is your God! Here comes with power the Loving God, who rules by a strong arm; here comes a reward and a recompense for you. Like a shepherd God feeds the flock; God gathers the lambs with gentle arms, carrying them closely, and leads the ewes with care.

Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 29:1-4, 9-11.

Response: God will bless the people with peace.

Give to God, you children of God, give to God glory and praise,

Give to God the glory due God’s name; adore God in holy attire.

Response: God will bless the people with peace.

The voice of God is heard over the waters, our loving God, over vast waters.

The voice of God is mighty; the voice of God is majestic.

Response: God will bless the people with peace.

The God of glory thunders, and in God’s temple all say, “Glory!”

God is enthroned above the flood; God is enthroned as ruler forever.

Response: God will bless the people with peace.

Reading 2 is from Acts 10:34-38

Peter proceeded to speak to those gathered in the house of Cornelius, saying: “In truth, I see that God shows no partiality. Rather, in every nation whoever fears God and acts uprightly is acceptable to God. You know the word that God sent to the Israelites on proclaiming peace through Jesus Christ, who is Ruler of all, what has happened all over Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached, how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power. He went about doing good and healing all those oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.”

Gospel is from Luke 3:15-16, 21-22

The people were filled with expectation, and all were asking in their hearts whether John might be the Christ. John answered them all, saying, “I am baptizing you with water, but one mightier than I is coming. I am not worthy to loosen the thongs of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” After all the people had been baptized and Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”

Femily: Baptism and Human Rights

Baptism is a sign. When someone is baptized into something, we have a hazy idea of what is going on. The words used in a baptism have great significance. If a white dove appears, we expect something more of the person being baptized. A white dove is also a sign to be noted. Baptism and white doves can somehow be connected to human rights. Who is entitled to human rights? White men? White women? Black men? Black women? All men? All women? All children? What about prisoners? What about the mentally ill? If we see a symbol of a white dove behind prison bars, we may think of the human rights of those in prison. We have heard of the Declaration of Human Rights as written up by the United Nations. This is a very optimistic document. It gives us a standard to live up to. It relates to the reading from Isaiah 42, “I, your loving God, have called you for the victory of justice, I have grasped you by the hand; I formed you, and set you as a covenant of the people, a light for the nations, to open the eyes of the blind, to bring out prisoners from confinement, and from the dungeon, those who live in darkness.” God expects great things of this humanity; we are to lead all humans to fulfillment. We are to heal the broken-hearted, open the eyes of the blind, and help the lame to run and leap. Humanity has a great road to follow, and a great leader Jesus to imitate. Humanity doesn’t just move in circles; hopefully, we spiral upwards. We are baptized as a sign that our inner hearts will strive to insure human rights for all people.

For Communion: Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. God bless you on your journeying.

Readings and Femily for the Second Sunday in Ordinary Time – YearC, 2013,2017,2021,etc.

Reading 1 is from Isaiah 62:1-5

For Zion’s sake I will not be silent, for Jerusalem’s sake I will not be quiet, until her vindication shines forth like the dawn and her victory like a burning torch. Nations shall behold your vindication, and all the kings your glory; you shall be called by a new name pronounced by the mouth of God. You shall be a glorious crown in the hand of God, a royal diadem held by your God. No more shall people call you “Forsaken,“ or your land “Desolate,“ but you shall be called “My Delight,“ and your land “Espoused.” For God delights in you and makes your land as a spouse. As a young man marries a virgin, your Builder shall marry you; and as a bridegroom rejoices in his bride, so shall your God rejoice in you.

Responsorial Psalm is #96:1-3, 7-10

Response: Proclaim God’s marvelous deeds to all the nations.

Sing to God a new song; sing to God, all you lands.

Sing to God; bless God’s name.

Response: Proclaim God’s marvelous deeds to all the nations.

Announce God’s salvation, day after day. Tell God’s glory among the nations;

Among all peoples, God’s wondrous deeds.

Response: Proclaim God’s marvelous deeds to all the nations.

Give to God, you families of nations, give to God glory and praise;

Give to God the glory due God’s name!

Response: Proclaim God’s marvelous deeds to all the nations.

Worship God in holy attire. Tremble before God, all the earth;

Say among the nations: God is king and governs the peoples with equity.

Response: Proclaim God’s marvelous deeds to all the nations.

Reading 2 is from I Corinthians 12:4-11

Brothers and sisters: There are different kinds of spiritual gifts but the same Spirit; there are different forms of service but the same God; there are different workings but the same God who produces all of them in everyone. To each individual the manifestation of the Spirit is given for some benefit. To one is given through the Spirit the expression of wisdom; to another, the expression of knowledge according to the same Spirit; to another, faith by the same Spirit; to another, gifts of healing by the one Spirit; to another, mighty deeds; to another, prophecy; to another, discernment of spirits; to another, varieties of tongues; to another, interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit produces all of these, distributing them individually to each person as desirable.

Gospel is from John 2:1-11

There was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the wedding. When the wine ran short, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” And Jesus said to her, “Woman, how does your concern affect me? My hour has not yet come.” His mother said to the servers, “Do whatever he tells you.” Now there were six stone water jars there for Jewish ceremonial washings, each holding twenty to thirty gallons. Jesus told them, “Fill the jars with water.” So they filled them to the brim. Then he told them, “Draw some out now and take it to the headwaiter.” So they took it.  And when the headwaiter tasted the water that had become wine, without knowing where it came from,- although the servers who had drawn the water knew- the headwaiter called the bridegroom and said to him, “Everyone serves good wine first, and then when people have drunk freely, an inferior one; but you have kept the good wine until now.” Jesus did this as the beginning of his signs at Cana in Galilee and so revealed his glory, and his disciples began to believe in him.

Femily: Earthquakes, Tsunamis, and Human Rights

Haiti is one of the poorest countries in the world. They didn’t need an earthquake to emphasize this point. Long ago, Israel was having a down moment, and God encouraged them by telling them that they would no longer be called Desolate, that they would be known as God’s Delight. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if all the countries of the world could work to restructure Haiti so that her people would no longer be starving and deprived? All people could work to ensure that the human rights of every Haitian were respected, from the rights of the governor right down to the rights of the most oppressed prisoner. Everyone in Haiti deserves to be treated as human beings. No one should be hungry or homeless, or have to live in houses subject to the whims of an earthquake. Those who govern in Haiti knew that an earthquake was coming. There was no money to build earthquake-proof houses. Now that the tragedy has happened, many world governments want to help in rebuilding. Many organizations want to be sure the hungry are fed. Will the helpful organizations and governments do good deeds for a year and then leave?

Human Rights Document Number 26.1 states that everyone has the right to an education. Will Haitians be assured of jobs, both in the countryside and in the cities? Will they be able to have energy from the sun and wind so that they can fill their side of Hispanola Island with trees and gardens?

Haitians have a very weak governmental system with few regulations such as earthquake building codes. The Haitian people should have their legal rights respected. There is a document called the American Declaration on the Rights and Duties of Man which affirms the equality of tribal citizens to go before the law. The Document on Indigenous Peoples is being used in nearby Belize as law by persons working for respect of the rights of the Mayan tribes. The Inter-American Commission has stated that indigenous peoples have property rights over their traditional lands and resources under international human rights law, apart from whether or not those rights are recognized under domestic law. The Commission found that the Maya have collective rights to all the lands they have traditionally used and occupied, not just those within reserve or village boundaries. It also confirmed that international law requires the government of Belize to recognize the boundaries of the lands the Maya have used and lived on, and to legally recognize and protect Maya communal property rights from corporations that would steal their resources.

It is high time that the local tribes should be vindicated, and that the human rights of all people should be observed as in the first reading. Then each individual will be able to use his inborn talents or gifts of the spirit, spoken of in the second reading.

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” We might meditate on how Jesus treated women, such as Mary Magdalene or the Samaritan woman at the well. We might think how our own attitude increases or decreases the solidarity between men and women, between black and white, between employee and employer, between those of one nation and those of another nation.

Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. God bless you on your journeying.

Readings and Femily for the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time - YearC,2013,2017,2021,etc.

Reading 1 is from Nehemiah 8:2-6, 8-10

Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly, which consisted of men, women, and those children old enough to understand. Standing at one end of the open place that was before the Water Gate, he read out of the book from daybreak till midday, in the presence of the men, the women, and those children old enough to understand; and all the people listened attentively to the book of the law. Ezra the scribe stood on a wooden platform that had been made for the occasion. He opened the scroll so that all the people might see it— for he was standing higher up than any of the people —; and, as he opened it, all the people rose. Ezra blessed God, the great God, and all the people, their hands raised high, answered, “Amen, amen!” Then they bowed down and prostrated themselves before God, their faces to the ground. Ezra read plainly from the book of the law of God, interpreting it so that all could understand what was read. Then Nehemiah, that is, His Excellency, and Ezra the priest-scribe and the Levites who were instructing the people said to all the people: “Today is holy to your God. Do not be sad, and do not weep”— for all the people were weeping as they heard the words of the law. He said further: “Go, eat rich foods and drink sweet drinks, and allot portions to those who had nothing prepared; for today is holy to our God. Do not be saddened this day, for rejoicing in God must be your strength!”

Responsorial Psalm is #19:8-10, 15

Response: Your words, my God, are Spirit and life.

The law of God is perfect, refreshing the soul;

The decree of God is trustworthy, giving wisdom to the simple.

Response: Your words, my God, are Spirit and life.

The precepts of God are right, rejoicing the heart;

The command of God is clear, enlightening the eye.

Response: Your words, my God, are Spirit and life.

The fear of God is pure, enduring forever;

The ordinances of God are true, all of them just.

Response: Your words, my God, are Spirit and life.

Let the words of my mouth and the thoughts of my heart find favor before you,

O God, my rock and my redeemer.

Response: Your words, my God, are Spirit and life.

Reading 2 is from I Corinthians 12:12-30

Brothers and sisters: As a body is one though it has many parts, and all the parts of the body, though many, are one body, so also Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, slaves or free persons, and we were all given to drink of one Spirit. Now the body is not a single part, but many. If a foot should say, “Because I am not a hand I do not belong to the body,“ it does not for this reason belong any less to the body. Or if an ear should say, “Because I am not an eye I do not belong to the body, “it does not for this reason belong any less to the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? But as it is, God placed the parts, each one of them, in the body as he intended. If they were all one part, where would the body be? But as it is, there are many parts, yet one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, “I do not need you,“ nor again the head to the feet, “I do not need you.” Indeed, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are all the more necessary, and those parts of the body that we consider less honorable we surround with greater honor, and our less presentable parts are treated with greater propriety, whereas our more presentable parts do not need this. But God has so constructed the body as to give greater honor to a part that is without it, so that there may be no division in the body, but that the parts may have the same concern for one another.

If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it; if one part is honored, all the parts share its joy. Now you are Christ’s body, and individually parts of it. Some people God has designated in the church to be, first, apostles; second, prophets; third, teachers; then, mighty deeds; then gifts of healing, assistance, administration, and varieties of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work mighty deeds? Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret?

Gospel is from Luke 1:1-4; 4:14-21

Since many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the events that have been fulfilled among us, just as those who were eyewitnesses from the beginning and ministers of the word have handed them down to us, I too have decided, after investigating everything accurately anew, to write it down in an orderly sequence for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may realize the certainty of the teachings you have received. Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news of him spread throughout the whole region. He taught in their synagogues and was praised by all. He came to Nazareth, where he had grown up, and went according to his custom into the synagogue on the sabbath day. He stood up to read and was handed a scroll of the prophet Isaiah. He unrolled the scroll and found the passage where it was written: The Spirit of God is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim a year acceptable to God. Rolling up the scroll, he handed it back to the attendant and sat down, and the eyes of all in the synagogue looked intently at him. He said to them, “Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.”

Femily: Scripture Fulfilled

Jesus said, “Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.” He was saying that with the Good Spirit helping, we are able to proclaim the Good News to the poor. Can we do that? Yes, we can!

And we can proclaim liberty to captives. Yes, we can!

And we can take our blind to the eye doctor and have miracles done for them. Yes, we can!

And even without the eye doctor, we can pray, and miracles do happen!

Sometimes we even see the oppressed go free. We see people given their human rights to food, water, housing, and education. Jesus is telling us that this scripture passage will be fulfilled, especially if we talk about it and encourage each other.

The prison in Port au Prince was filled with small crime people who were unjustly never brought to trial, but left in a crowded prison with few resources. There were political prisoners and others unjustly accused who never had a chance to explain their situation. Along comes the earthquake and the oppressed are set free.

In the Acts, we also have the oppressed Peter being set free.

How are we to help the oppressed and the captives? The people in Haiti need more lawyers and judges, but most of all they need a restorative justice system that listens and helps to educate those addicted to drugs. Those in prison in this country also need understanding of their economic and educational disabilities.

The majority of those confined in the prison systems of the world are uneducated minorities. In the United States many of those incarcerated for illegal drug use, serve wasted time in prison without drug rehabilitation programs and without college educational programs. Such college programs using Pell grants were denied to them by federal laws. Our elected officials don’t seem to be able to correct this problem or the healthcare problem. Many U.S. legislators seem only interested in the moneybags of big corporations, so that they can get funded for re-election. Such an attitude does not fit in with bringing good tidings to the poor. Such an attitude will be particularly unfitting when these corporations are owned by foreign nationals. With corporations out of control, human rights will be seriously curtailed.

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” We might meditate on how Jesus treated women, such as Mary Magdalene or the Samaritan woman at the well. We might think how our own attitude increases or decreases the solidarity between men and women, between black and white, between employee and employer, between those of one nation and those of another nation.

Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. God bless you on your journeying.

Readings and Femily for the Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time - YearC, 2013,2017,2021,etc.

Reading I is from Jeremiah 1:4-5, 17-19

The word of God came to me, saying: Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I dedicated you, a prophet to the nations I appointed you. But do you gird your loins; stand up and tell them all that I command you. Be not crushed on their account, as though I would leave you crushed before them; for it is I this day who have made you a fortified city, a pillar of iron, a wall of brass, against the whole land: against Judah’s kings and princes, against its priests and people. They will fight against you but not prevail over you, for I am with you to deliver you, says God.

Responsorial Psalm is #71:1-6, 15-17

Response: I will sing of your salvation.

In you, O God, I take refuge; let me never be put to shame.

In your justice rescue me, and deliver me; incline your ear to me, and save me.

Response: I will sing of your salvation.

Be my rock of refuge, a stronghold to give me safety,

For you are my rock and my fortress. O my God, rescue me from the hand of the wicked.

Response: I will sing of your salvation.

For you are my hope, O God; my trust, from my youth.

On you I depend from birth; from my mother’s womb you are my strength.

Response: I will sing of your salvation.

My mouth shall declare your justice, day by day your salvation.

O God, you have taught me from my youth, and till the present I proclaim your wondrous deeds.

Response: I will sing of your salvation.

Reading 2 is from I Corinthians 12:31—13:13

Brothers and sisters: Strive eagerly for the greatest spiritual gifts. But I shall show you a still more excellent way.  If I speak in human and angelic tongues, but do not have love, I am a resounding gong or a clashing cymbal. And if I have the gift of prophecy, and comprehend all mysteries and all knowledge; if I have all faith so as to move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give away everything I own, and if I hand my body over so that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind. It is not jealous, it is not pompous, It is not inflated, it is not rude, it does not seek its own interests, it is not quick-tempered, it does not brood over injury, it does not rejoice over wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. If there are prophecies, they will be brought to nothing; if tongues, they will cease; if knowledge, it will be brought to nothing. For we know partially and we prophesy partially, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. When I was a child, I used to talk as a child, think as a child, reason as a child; when I became a man, I put aside childish things. At present we see indistinctly, as in a mirror, but then face to face. At present I know partially; then I shall know fully, as I am fully known. So faith, hope, love remain, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

Gospel is from Luke 4:21-30

Jesus began speaking in the synagogue, saying: “Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.” And all spoke highly of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth. They also asked, “Isn’t this the son of Joseph?” He said to them, “Surely you will quote me this proverb, ‘Physician, cure yourself,’ and say, ‘Do here in your native place the things that we heard were done in Capernaum.’” And he said, “Amen, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own native place. Indeed, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah when the sky was closed for three and a half years and a severe famine spread over the entire land. It was to none of these that Elijah was sent, but only to a widow in Zarephath in the land of Sidon. Again, there were many lepers in Israel during the time of Elisha the prophet; yet not one of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian.” When the people in the synagogue heard this, they were all filled with fury. They rose up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town had been built, to hurl him down headlong. But Jesus passed through the midst of them and went away.

Femily: Abortion Rights

The first reading, “Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you,” implies that there was something in the unborn that God could relate to. The second reading describes how the human being can relate to God in many different ways; the human can be patient, kind, hopeful, and refrain from being jealous, rude, quick tempered, or brooding over injury. But then there is the wide stretch of human development between the moment of conception, through the unruly teenager, to the mature adult. Many of us do not recognize the process of formation and development of spirit that goes on along side of the physical growth and change of the human body. Sometimes this leads to one set of humanity being willing to take the life of another.

An example of this is the death penalty. Our laws allow us to put a person who has killed another into prison, and in the State of Texas, this disruptive person is often put to death by the state. The state is the people of Texas through the hands of the executioner.

A second example is war where one group of people or their leaders will feel justified in bombing innocent populations to death. They are stirred to do this by a primitive feeling that the world is not big enough for so many people, or they feel they need the resources of this other population. As they are victims of their own greed, they destroy other human beings instead of devising a method of sharing.

A third example is the destruction of the human being in the womb. This is usually blamed on the woman, who is always in this predicament because of a man who was out of control. One solution to this problem would be to have offending males watch a TV presentation about the ‘Rite of Abortion’ where a man would presumably cook and eat the unborn life that was sacrificed due to his lack of control. It might make others think of what was the reality of the situation.

Why are some human beings willing to destroy other humanbeings? Why do they seek their own interests and become incapable of enduring all things? God made a good creation, and placed the human in it, and gave the human being the right to make choices. We grow when we make good choices; we decay when we succumb to less positive self-centered actions.

In today’s gospel, Jesus speaks of fulfillment. Human beings are fulfilled when they heal each other and when they help each other through starvation and the tragedy of earthquakes and tsunamis. They are tremendously fulfilled when they rescue an earthquake victim from under the rubble. When they destroy a life, as in the death penalty or abortion, they suffer degradation and dehumanization to their inner self. Their spirit degenerates.

The second reading on Love is a meditation that we should carry around in our hearts. It will help us to make the right choices. It will help us to be partners with Jesus in the fulfillment of the world.

For Communion: We advise a silent meditation for ten minutes with eyes closed, on the compassion of Jesus who said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” We might meditate on how Jesus treated women, such as Mary Magdalene or the Samaritan woman at the well. We might think how our own attitude increases or decreases the solidarity between men and women, between black and white, between employee and employer, between those of one nation and those of another nation.

Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. God bless you on your journeying.

Readings and Femily for the Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time - YearC,2013,2017,2021,etc.

Reading 1 is from Isaiah 6:1-8

In the year King Uzziah died, I saw God seated on a high and lofty throne, with the train of the garment filling the temple. Seraphim were stationed above. They cried one to the other, “Holy, holy, holy is the loving God of hosts! All the earth is filled with God’s glory!” At the sound of that cry, the frame of the door shook and the house was filled with smoke. Then I said, “Woe is me, I am doomed! For I am a person of unclean lips, living among a people of unclean lips; yet my eyes have seen the King, the God of hosts!” Then one of the seraphim flew to me, holding an ember that he had taken with tongs from the altar. He touched my mouth with it, and said, “See, now that this has touched your lips, your wickedness is removed, your sin purged.” Then I heard the voice of God saying, “Whom shall I send? Who will go for us?” “Here I am,” I said; “send me!”

Responsorial Psalm is #138:1-5, 7-8

Response: O God, in the sight of the angels I will sing your praises.

I will give thanks to you, O God, with all my heart, for you have heard the words of my mouth;

In the presence of the angels I will sing; I will worship at your holy temple and give thanks to your name.

Response: O God, in the sight of the angels I will sing your praises.

Because of your kindness and your truth; for you have made great above all things your name and your promise.

When I called, you answered me; you built up strength within me.

Response: O God, in the sight of the angels I will sing your praises.

All the kings of the earth shall give thanks to you, O God, when they hear the words of your mouth;

And they shall sing of the ways of God: “Great is the glory of God.”

Response: O God, in the sight of the angels I will sing your praises.

Your right hand saves me. You, my God, will complete what you have done for me;

Your kindness, O God, endures forever; forsake not the work of your hands.

Response: O God, in the sight of the angels I will sing your praises.

Reading 2 is from I Corinthians 15:1-11

I am reminding you, brothers and sisters, of the gospel I preached to you, which you indeed received and in which you also stand. Through it you are also being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. For I handed on to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures; that he was buried; that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures; that he appeared to Cephas, then to the Twelve. After that, Christ appeared to more than five hundred brothers at once, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. After that he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one born abnormally, he appeared to me. For I am the least of the apostles, not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me has not been ineffective. Indeed, I have toiled harder than all of them; not I, however, but the grace of God that is with me. Therefore, whether it be I or they, so we preach and so you believed.

Gospel is from Luke 5:1-11

While the crowd was pressing in on Jesus and listening to the word of God, he was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret. He saw two boats there alongside the lake; the fishermen had disembarked and were washing their nets. Getting into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, he asked him to put out a short distance from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. After he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch.” Simon said in reply, “Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing, but at your command I will lower the nets.” When they had done this, they caught a great number of fish and their nets were tearing. They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come to help them. They came and filled both boats so that the boats were in danger of sinking. When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at the knees of Jesus and said, “Depart from me, Rabbi, for I am a sinful man.” For astonishment at the catch of fish they had made seized him and all those with him, and likewise James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners of Simon. Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people.” When they brought their boats to the shore, they left everything and followed him.

Femily: How to Build Community

Are there too many fish? Will the nets break? Are there too many people, too few leaders, too many laws, not enough wise judges? When a community gets too big, is it in danger of falling apart? How do we build a workable community?

Most of our communities just sort of fall together without much thought about proper organization. If we were to carefully plan a community for elderly people in prison, or elderly people being transferred out of prison, how would we go about it? What rules and regulations would we make? Should they make their own regulations?

Do we have any governments or church communities that are reasonably successful that our elderly prisoners could use as a model? State governments are slowly degenerating under the misguided war-like policies of the federal government. Our healthcare system is very confusing for doctors, patients, and insurance record keepers. What can a state governor do about the problems of our nation and our world?

It is my belief that if a small community of prisoners or ex-prisoners could base their gatherings on restorative justice principles, the wider world might notice, and might apply restorative justice initiatives to the problems of other larger communities.

A group of people who are without jobs, without much health support, and without a welcoming society are the elderly and ill who are confined in our state prison system. These older incarcerated persons are human beings seeking personal fulfillment. They very rarely commit further crimes upon release, unless they are mentally ill or have no resources to support them.

Have you recently passed through what used to be the industrial area of any large city 100 years ago? If you go there, you will see falling-down brick buildings with shattered windows. There was money for renewal about 25 years ago, but such money was often siphoned away by greedy hands for other people. It should be possible to form work teams from the prison to tear down ancient eyesores, and have them rebuild homes for themselves and other distressed people. This project could be tagged as an environmental community. The creek that passes through the area could be used to generate some electricity.  A redone factory could produce solar panels and wind turbine equipment to help make nuclear power unnecessary.

Republicans and democrats need a project which will help them to work together. Elderly prisoners need employment and support to make their lives meaningful. I imagine many other cities in the U.S. are likewise suffering degeneration. The prisons in this country contain available man power (and woman power) that could help rebuild decaying communities. Instead of having politicians play upon our fears of immigrants, sex offenders, and others without employment, encourage legislators to welcome the stranger with jobs and education possibilities that will help build our communities.

For Communion: Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. God bless you on your journeying.

Readings and Femily for the Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time – YearC,2013,2017,2021,etc.

Reading 1 is from Jeremiah 17:5-8

Thus says our God: Cursed is the one who trusts in human beings, who seeks his strength in flesh, whose heart turns away from God. He is like a barren bush in the desert that enjoys no change of season, but stands in a lava waste, a salt and empty earth. Blessed is the one who trusts in God, whose hope is in God. He is like a tree planted beside the waters that stretches out its roots to the stream: it fears not the heat when it comes; its leaves stay green; in the year of drought it shows no distress, but still bears fruit.

Responsorial Psalm is #1:1-4, 6

Response: Blessed are they who hope in God.

Blessed the person who follows not the counsel of the wicked,

But delights in the law of God and meditates on this law day and night.

Response: Blessed are they who hope in God.

They are like a tree planted near running water, that yields its fruit in due season,

And whose leaves never fade. Whatever they do, prospers.

Response: Blessed are they who hope in God.

Not so the wicked, not so; they are like chaff which the wind drives away.

For God watches over the way of the just, but the way of the wicked vanishes.

Response: Blessed are they who hope in God.

Reading 2 is from I Corinthians 15:12, 16-20

Brothers and sisters: If Christ is preached as raised from the dead, how can some among you say there is no resurrection of the dead? If the dead are not raised, neither has Christ been raised, and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is vain; you are still in your sins. Then those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are the most pitiable people of all. But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.

Gospel is from Luke 6:17, 20-26

Jesus came down with the twelve and stood on a stretch of level ground with a great crowd of his disciples and a large number of the people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the coastal region of Tyre and Sidon. And raising his eyes toward his disciples he said: “Blessed are you who are poor, for the kingdom of God is yours. Blessed are you who are now hungry, for you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who are now weeping, for you will laugh. Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude and insult you, and denounce your name as evil on account of the Son of Man. Rejoice and leap for joy on that day! Behold, your reward will be great in heaven. For their ancestors treated the prophets in the same way. But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation. Woe to you who are filled now, for you will be hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will grieve and weep. Woe to you when all speak well of you, for their ancestors treated the false prophets in this way.”

Femily: Resurrection

Reading 2 speaks about the resurrection of Jesus and also our resurrection. The Gospel talks about our actions of today. We can apply these words both to ourselves and to the immigrants among us. Do we exclude and insult the poor. Do our legislators make laws that make it difficult for the immigrant to keep a job, drive a car, or get health care? Think of the exclusion practiced on the ex-slaves after the civil war to keep them from voting! Is it possible to welcome the ex-slave as an equal and educated citizen? Can we welcome the immigrant even though he speaks a different language and has a different religion. Are we all children of the same creator, or are some of us blessed and others of us to be shunned?

It is very difficult to be a legislator. You have to make laws that will help and heal the people that you serve. If the laws hurt and harm, then the legislator, with the help of his constitutents, must change the laws so that the laws reflect justice and compassion.

The whole world seems to have lost its way in the wilderness, and needs to seriously consider a recommitment to compassion, truth, and justice. In Joshua 24:15 we find the renewal of covenant of early Israelis; the people are given a choice. Are they going to follow ethical values, or will they turn their backs on the Spirit that guided them through the wilderness? The following variation from Og Mandino’s book The Greatest Miracle in The World lists choices that all people are called to make:

YOU HAVE A CHOICE:

- Choose to love … rather than hate. Can we have compassion on the immigrant?

- Choose to build … rather than destroy. Can we build community with the immigrant, or will we choose to put him in jail?

- Choose to praise … rather than gossip. Some of our citizens and some newspapers choose to emphasize bad characteristics, differences of culture and language; encouraging fear rather than compassionate and understanding acceptance.

- Choose to heal … rather than wound. Immigrants have come here to support their families.

- Choose generosity … rather than greed. Will we share the goods of the earth that we have with the other people of the earth who are in distress?

Most people in the world would rather be generous and healing. Our churches are here to help us build compassionate community. How can we help? The immigrants are useful and industrious people. They do yard work. They build marvelous stone walls. They are maids in our households. We need them to take care of our oversize houses. So what is the problem? Is it that we feel we are being inudated with immigrants? Are we fearful for our future? To analyze our fears, we should search out the root causes.

What are the root causes of this immigration? Many immigrants are displaced persons who are seeking a safe haven from homelands tormented by war and starvation. Why do people from Mexico come to the U.S.? Federal legislation, our Farm Bill and our Free Trade Bill, have impacted the farmers of Mexico, so that their farm goods can’t make a profit for the local farmers, while our large agribusinesses get support from the U.S. government. Mexican workers must go where there is work for them. Is it possible to make legislation that will give workers renewable temporary ID cards to help them support their families?

The Declaration of Human Rights by the UN, Articles 13 & 14 direct us to acknowledge that everyone has the right to leave a homeland and to return to his homeland; and also to acknowledge the rights of refugees to asylum from persecution. Are the immigrants from Latin America, Native Americans returning to their former homeland?

We are afraid of thievery. If there is petty thievery taking place in our community, we should not be quick to blame anyone unless they are caught in the act. If one immigrant is shown to be a petty thief, we must not condemn all immigrants because one is misguided. The same goes for releasing prisoners onto parole, because one ex-prisoner commits a new crime, are we going to return the other 99 to prison?

Think about the resurrection. Will the immigrants and prisoners enter the Kingdom of Heaven before us?

For Communion: Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer.

Readings and Femily for the First Sunday of Lent - YearC, Feb.17,2013; 2017,2021,etc.

Reading 1 is from Deuteronomy 26:4-10

Moses spoke to the people, saying: “The priest shall receive the basket from you and shall set it in front of the altar of your God. Then you shall declare before God, ‘My parents were wandering Arameans who went down to Egypt with a small household and lived there as aliens. But there they became a nation, great, strong, and numerous. When the Egyptians maltreated and oppressed us, imposing hard labor upon us, we cried to the God of our ancestors, and God heard our cry and saw our affliction, our toil, and our oppression. God brought us out of Egypt with a strong hand and outstretched arm, with terrifying power, with signs and wonders; and bringing us into this country, God gave us this land flowing with milk and honey. Therefore, I have now brought you the firstfruits of the products of the soil which you, O God, have given me.’ And having set them before your God, you shall bow down in God’s presence.”

Responsorial Psalm is #91:1-2, 10-15

Response: Be with me, God, when I am in trouble.

You who dwell in the shelter of the Most High, who abide in the shadow of the Almighty,

Say to God, “My refuge and fortress, my God in whom I trust.”

Response: Be with me, God, when I am in trouble.

No evil shall befall you, nor shall affliction come near your tent,

For to the angels God has given command about you, that they guard you in all your ways.

Response: Be with me, God, when I am in trouble.

Upon their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone.

You shall tread upon the asp and the viper; you shall trample down the lion and the dragon.

Response: Be with me, God, when I am in trouble.

Because they cling to me, I will deliver them; I will set them on high because they acknowledge my name.

They shall call upon me, and I will answer; I will be with them in distress; I will deliver them and glorify them.

Response: Be with me, God, when I am in trouble.

Reading 2 is from Romans 10:8-13

Brothers and sisters: What does Scripture say? The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart; that is, the word of faith that we preach; for, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is the Messiah and believe in your heart that God raised Jesus from the dead, you will be saved. For one believes with the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved. For the Scripture says, “No one who believes in him will be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same God is God of all, enriching all who call. For “everyone who calls on the name of God will be saved.”

Gospel is from Luke 4:1-13

Filled with the Holy Spirit, Jesus returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the desert for forty days,

to be tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and when they were over he was hungry. The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.” Jesus answered him, “It is written, One does not live on bread alone.” Then he took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a single instant.The devil said to him, “I shall give to you all this power and glory; for it has been handed over to me, and I may give it to whomever I wish. All this will be yours, if you worship me.” Jesus said to him in reply, “It is written: You shall worship God, and God alone shall you serve.” Then he led him to Jerusalem, made him stand on the parapet of the temple, and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, for it is written: “God will command the angels concerning you, to guard you,” and, “With their hands they will support you, lest you dash your foot against a stone.” Jesus said to him in reply, “It also says, You shall not put your God, to the test.” When the devil had finished every temptation, he departed from Jesus for a time.

Femily: Giving Out Kingdoms

“I shall give you all the kingdoms of the world.” When we think about world rulers, we could become very discouraged. Some of them may start out very well with all sorts of good intentions, but the world is a very unstable place, and good intentions may pave the way to total confusion. We change the head person at the United Nations quite frequently, so that he will not become self-centered or drunk with power. We control the U.S. president with the use of the U.S. congress, yet  Congress and the President still make laws that affect many poor people adversely.

There are difficulties in working effectively within the U.S. Congress and many would-be leaders fall by the wayside in their need to get money from corporations to fund their re-election. How can a person in power, such as a Congressmember lead a good and honest life? Jesus saw the futility of being a world leader. He saw how the Roman government trampled on the poor. He saw that he could do more as a humble rabbi to heal the people that crossed his path, and the people of future generations.

What can a Congressmember do to heal our country when other Congress members refuse to cooperate? There are several ways where Congressional members might be able to cooperate.

Our government could subsidize the cost of heating oil for poor people. An example of this is the government of Venezuela. One reason for people being unable to finance their houses might be that their budgets could not stand the price of their heating oil on top of their house payments. Congress seems to have given up the idea of health care for the poor and the immigrant, in favor of large profits for the health insurance companies. There are also the banks and the credit card establishments that have possible money for re-election of Congressional members.

Perhaps we should turn for help from the United Nations which might be useful in upgrading ethical values. The ratification of the Declaration of Human Rights could be a tool that sharpens justice across the world and enhances the existence of the poor. Congress has voted for some re-entry job-training money for prisoners returning to society. Could Congress also consider some further Human Rights for prisoners, such as the right to higher education and the right to vote? The right to vote is also a racial issue for released prisoners such as in the State of Florida.

There are some very good documents published by the United Nations that could help to upgrade the quality of Congressional legislation. For example, in 1995 they held The World Summit for Social Development in Copenhagen. One sample of what they discussed is strategies for governments to make efforts to Eradicate Poverty – (Item A .26.h), “by encouraging and supporting local community development projects that foster the skill, self-reliance and self-confidence of people living in poverty and that facilitate their active participation in efforts to eradicate poverty.” Couldn’t our Congress make jobs for the poor people, the immigrants, and the re-entering prisoners that would aid in environmental transformation, instead of partaking in lucrative corporation shenanighans? Couldn’t they build geo-thermal systems for a million houses to reduce the American greed for oil? Our Congress could be capable of performing Christlike acts of justice and charity.

Another place where justice is needed is in the nuclear area. It really isn’t fair that the U.S. government condemns North Korea, Iraq, and Iran for not abiding by United Nations declaration requirements, when the United States itself has not even signed the U.N. treaties. To aid in preserving our ethical values, could Congress ratify some of the U.N. documents, even if they have to set down some reservations?

Jesus turned down the Devil’s offer to rule the kingdoms of the world, according to the Devil’s specifications; couldn’t our Congress turn down the money from corporations and enact legislation that would help the poor?

For Communion: Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer.

Readings and Femily for the Second Sunday of Lent  – YearC,2013,2017,2021,etc.

Reading I is from Genesis 15:5-12, 17-18

The Great God took Abram outside and said, “Look up at the sky and count the stars, if you can. Just so,” God added, “shall your descendants be.” Abram put his faith in God, who credited it to him as an act of righteousness. God then said to him, “I am God who brought you from Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land as a possession.” “O Great God,” Abraham asked, “how am I to know that I shall possess it?” God answered Abram, “Bring me a three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old she-goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.” Abram brought him all these, split them in two, and placed each half opposite the other; but the birds he did not cut up. Birds of prey swooped down on the carcasses, but Abram stayed with them. As the sun was about to set, a trance fell upon Abram, and a deep, terrifying darkness enveloped him. When the sun had set and it was dark, there appeared a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch, which passed between those pieces. It was on that occasion that the God made a covenant with Abram, saying: “To your descendants I give this land, from the Wadi of Egypt to the Great River, the Euphrates.”

Responsorial Psalm is #27:1, 7-9, 13-14.

Response: The Loving God is my light and my salvation.

God is my light and my salvation; whom should I fear?

God is my life’s refuge; of whom should I be afraid?

Response: The Loving God is my light and my salvation.

Hear, O God, the sound of my call; have pity on me, and answer me.

Of you my heart speaks; you my glance seeks.

Response: The Loving God is my light and my salvation.

Your presence, O God, I seek. Hide not your face from me;

Do not in anger repel your servant. You are my helper: cast me not off.

Response: The Loving God is my light and my salvation.

I believe that I shall see the bounty of God in the land of the living.

Wait for God with courage; be stouthearted, and wait for God.

Response: The Loving God is my light and my salvation.

Reading 2 is from Philemon 3:17—4:1

Join with others in being imitators of me, brothers and sisters, and observe those who thus conduct themselves  according to the model you have in us. For many, as I have often told you and now tell you even in tears, conduct themselves as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction. Their God is their stomach; their glory is in their “shame.” Their minds are occupied with earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we also await a savior, Jesus Christ. He will change our lowly body to conform with his glorified body by the power that enables him also to bring all things into subjection to himself. Therefore, my brothers and sisters, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, in this way stand firm in our God.

Gospel is from Luke 9:28b-36

Jesus took Peter, John, and James and went up the mountain to pray. While he was praying his face changed in appearance and his clothing became dazzling white. And behold, two men were conversing with him, Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory and spoke of his exodus that he was going to accomplish in Jerusalem. Peter and his companions had been overcome by sleep, but becoming fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him. As they were about to part from him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good that we are here; let us make three tents, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” But he did not know what he was saying. While he was still speaking, a cloud came and cast a shadow over them, and they became frightened when they entered the cloud. Then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my chosen Son; listen to him.” After the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. They fell silent and did not at that time tell anyone what they had seen.

Femily: When We Hear the Voice of God, Who Is Speaking?

God spoke to Abraham on a mountain through a sacrifice and incense filled religious service that took place at sunset. The voice that spoke gave Abraham the land. This was a religious event that was to be remembered by Abraham’s descendants.

God spoke on the mountain top to the disciples saying, “This is my beloved son; hear him.” The God-bearer Jesus had just been confirmed in his religious vocation by the appearance of two previous prophets, Moses and Elijah.

Mountain tops represent dramatic and memorable events. The Wappinger Indians had the belief that if they went to the mountain top, all the land that they could see would be under their control.

God spoke to the Virgin Mary through the mouth of an angel known as Gabriel. She trusted that God would take care of her through what must have seemed like a dubious future.

About 1999 in Taconic Prison a young woman confided to me that she was “married” to one of the guards. They had sex in the broom closet. They had a child, but the prison officials took the child away. Shortly thereafter I learned that at Fishkill Prison one of the officers would disappear from his desk whenever a woman volunteer used the rest room. She would find herself locked in, but fortunately a roving inmate would come by and be able to jimmy the lock and help her to get out. But the guard was still missing, and the inmate could make an offer of sex to the woman he had rescued. One volunteer became pregnant due to this set up. Later the woman brought her child in to visit with his father, but the father wasn’t really interested. These women are both long suffering saints, and their children are gifts of the Holy Spirit.

Then, there was the Virgin Mary. Fortunately, she had Joseph to protect her and the gift that the Holy Spirit gave to her. Caiphas was a great spiritual leader in his time. He was about the right age and temperament to convince a young woman that had duties in the temple that he spoke for God. If we just consider the facts, we must understand that females birth only females by parthenogenesis; Mary’s son must have had genes from an earthly male.

The lady in Taconic Prison, the volunteer to Fishkill Prison, and the Virgin Mary are all blessed. We know that Jesus was an exceptional individual, and I believe that the Good Spirit will help and protect the children of the two other women.

But there is something wrong here. The women are all passive elements in an event that is gravely disturbing. Mary says, “Be it done unto me according to thy will.” Rape may be a way to increase the population, but it often leads to abortion, and sometimes is an excuse to kill the woman involved. The earth is over populated. Can we adjust our sex drives to accept civil unions where no children are produced? Can we protect females from rape? Can we calm over-productive males with anti-testosterone drugs?

Should we stand idly by while starvation and war reduce the world’s population? Should we tolerate starvation and war as an effective means of population control? Can we hear God’s voice in the Human Rights Declaration of the United Nations?

For Communion: Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer.

Readings and Femily for the Third Sunday of Lent - YearC, 2013,2017,2021,etc.

Reading 1 is from Exodus 3:1-8a,13-15

Moses was tending the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian. Leading the flock across the desert, he came to Horeb, the mountain of God. There an angel of God appeared to Moses in fire flaming out of a bush. As he looked on, he was surprised to see that the bush, though on fire, was not consumed. So Moses decided, “I must go over to look at this remarkable sight, and see why the bush is not burned.” When God saw him coming over to look at it more closely, God called out to him from the bush, “Moses! Moses!” He answered, “Here I am.” God said, “Come no nearer! Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground. I am the God of your fathers, “ he continued, “the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob.” Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God. But God said, “I have witnessed the affliction of my people in Egypt and have heard their cry of complaint against their slave drivers, so I know well what they are suffering. Therefore I have come down to rescue them from the hands of the Egyptians and lead them out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey.” Moses said to God, “But when I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ if they ask me, ‘What is God’s name?’ what am I to tell them?” God replied, “I Am Who Am.” Then God added, “This is what you shall tell the Israelites: I AM sent me to you.” God spoke further to Moses, “Thus shall you say to the Israelites: The God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob, has sent me to you. This is my name forever; thus am I to be remembered through all generations.”

Responsorial Psalm is #103:1-4, 6-8, 11

Response: Our God is kind and merciful.

Bless God, O my soul; and all my being, bless God’s holy name.

Bless God, O my soul, and forget not all God’s benefits.

Response: Our God is kind and merciful.

God pardons all your iniquities, heals all your ills,

God redeems your life from destruction, crowns you with kindness and compassion.

Response: Our God is kind and merciful.

God secures justice and the rights of all the oppressed.

God has made known God’s ways to Moses, and God’s deeds to the children of Israel.

Response: Our God is kind and merciful.

Merciful and gracious is our God, slow to anger and abounding in kindness.

For as the heavens are high above the earth, so surpassing is God’s kindness toward those who fear God.

Response: Our God is kind and merciful.

Reading 2 is from I Corinthians 10:1-6, 10-12

I do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, that our ancestors were all under the cloud and all passed through the sea, and all of them were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. All ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink, for they drank from a spiritual rock that followed them, and the rock was the Christ. Yet God was not pleased with most of them, for they were struck down in the desert. These things happened as examples for us, so that we might not desire evil things, as they did. Do not grumble as some of them did, and suffered death by the destroyer. These things happened to them as an example, and they have been written down as a warning to us, upon whom the end of the ages has come. Therefore, whoever thinks he is standing secure should take care not to fall.

Gospel is from Luke 13:1-9

Some people told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with the blood of their sacrifices. Jesus said to them in reply, “Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were greater sinners than all other Galileans? By no means! But I tell you, if you do not repent, you will all perish as they did! Or those eighteen people who were killed when the tower at Siloam fell on them:- do you think they were more guilty than everyone else who lived in Jerusalem? By no means! But I tell you, if you do not repent, you will all perish as they did!” And he told them this parable: “There once was a person who had a fig tree planted in his orchard, and when he came in search of fruit on it but found none, he said to the gardener, ‘For three years now I have come in search of fruit on this fig tree but have found none. So cut it down. Why should it exhaust the soil?’ He said to him in reply, ‘Sir, leave it for this year also, and I shall cultivate the ground around it and fertilize it; it may bear fruit in the future. If not you can cut it down.’”

Femily: A Second Chance for the Fig Tree

If we bear no fruit, it may be because of the poor soil surrounding us. If a poverty person deals in drugs, should we give him a second chance? If our social system fails us, should we devise a new system, or try the old system five more years?

When following a leader, whether it be a religious leader or a political leader, it is our responsibility to question, not to accept unthinkingly. Our organizations need better leadership who can be open to education from below. Our economic and social groups often fail us. We follow greedy and war-mongering politicians over the cliff blindly. Our churches need homilies on health care and healing for the poor, instead of focusing on often meaningless regulations. Churchmen can profitably consult with churchwomen. We must be thinking out of the box that society puts us in. Ultimately, the flood was because of too many people. What are positive ways to reduce population, or reduce reproduction? As it takes a man to make an abortion, the Chinese way is to make men responsible. If several women complain about an overactive male, he can get a very serious prison sentence. We need the compassion of Jesus and sharing the goods of the earth with others, instead of building bigger churches with steeples to reach the sky. Reaching the sky does not get us closer to God. Heaven is within. To get closer to God, we must transform our hearts. I, and I alone, am finally responsible for who I become. I can do my best with the help of a positive community. Churches and other communities can help people in this process.

There is no right to overabundance, especially when others do not have enough food or water. There is no right to a yacht, no right to two houses, no right to fine clothes when others are naked; no right to economic health when others are being bombed. I find it difficult to support a new church building which uses a lack of priests as its primary reason for being built. If the authorities in the church decided to use married men and women, they would have sufficient church leadership and would not need a new building in which to hold bigger services. The whole world would benefit if a more democratic leadership declared the equality of men and women to guide the political communities. Women are frequently treated as secondary citizens, as if being a woman was a genetic defect or illness. The patriarchal philosophy sees women as somehow less equal, which leads to abuse and degradation of women. It would show more compassion to build a school or a health center in the Sudan, than to build a church that wasn’t really necessary if married men and women could be employed as priests. There are people that believe that Jesus was a married man, and that he was buried in the Talpiot section of Jerusalem. If genetic analysis were available for the Holy Shroud, and also available for the Talpiot Tomb osuary box labeled Jesus, son of Joseph, and if these genetic programs turned out to be the same, then we might have the genetic code of Jesus.

We do not have to have the genetic code of Jesus to believe in his message of kindness and compassion. If our economic system is not considerate of the poor, if our health care system and health insurance companies don’t care to heal the poor and the stranger who dwells in our land, if food and shelter are not given to those fleeing to refugee camps, then we should think seriously about a change in leadership or a change in societal customs. Jesus advises, “Clothe the naked, feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, and pray for the persecutors.” Is our leadership listening?

For Communion: Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer.

Readings and Femily for the Fourth Sunday of Lent - YearC, 2013,2017,2021,etc.

Reading 1 is from Joshua 5:9-12

God spoke to Joshua, “Today I have removed the reproach of Egypt from you.” While the Israelites were encamped at Gilgal on the plains of Jericho, they celebrated the Passover on the evening of the fourteenth of the month. On the day after the Passover, they ate of the produce of the land in the form of unleavened cakes and parched grain. On that same day after the Passover, on which they ate of the produce of the land, the manna ceased. No longer was there manna for the Israelites, who that year ate of the yield of the land of Canaan.

Responsorial Psalm is #34:2-7

Response: Taste and see the goodness of God.

I will bless God at all times; God’s praise shall be ever in my mouth.

Let my soul glory in God; the lowly will hear me and be glad.

Response: Taste and see the goodness of God.

Glorify God with me, let us together extol God’s name.

I sought God, and God answered me and delivered me from all my fears.

Response: Taste and see the goodness of God.

Look to God that you may be radiant with joy, and your faces may not blush with shame.

When the poor one called out, the loving God heard, and from the poor one’s distress, God saved him.

Response: Taste and see the goodness of God.

Reading 2 is from II Corinthians 5:17-21

Brothers and sisters: Whoever is in Christ is a new creation: the old things have passed away; behold, new things have come. And all this is from God, who has reconciled us to Godself through Christ and given us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, God was reconciling the world to Godself in Christ, not counting the people’s trespasses against each other and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. So we are ambassadors for Christ, as if God were appealing through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake God made Christ to be sin who did not know sin, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Christ.

Gospel is from Luke 15:1-3, 11-32

Tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to Jesus, but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying, “This person welcomes sinners and eats with them.” So to them Jesus addressed this parable: “A man had two sons, and the younger son said to his father, ‘Father give me the share of your estate that should come to me.’ So the father divided the property between them. After a few days, the younger son collected all his belongings and set off to a distant country where he squandered his inheritance on a life of dissipation. When he had freely spent everything, a severe famine struck that country, and he found himself in dire need. So he hired himself out to one of the local citizens who sent him to his farm to tend the swine. And he longed to eat his fill of the pods on which the swine fed, but nobody gave him any. Coming to his senses he thought, ‘How many of my father’s hired workers have more than enough food to eat, but here am I, dying from hunger. I shall get up and go to my father and I shall say to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I no longer deserve to be called your son; treat me as you would treat one of your hired workers.’ So he got up and went back to his father. While he was still a long way off, his father caught sight of him, and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, embraced him and kissed him. His son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you; I no longer deserve to be called your son.’ But his father ordered his servants, ‘Quickly bring the finest robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Take the fattened calf and slaughter it. Then let us celebrate with a feast, because this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again; he was lost, and has been found.’ Then the celebration began. Now the older son had been out in the field and, on his way back, as he neared the house, he heard the sound of music and dancing. He called one of the servants and asked what this might mean. The servant said to him, ‘Your brother has returned and your father has slaughtered the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’ He became angry, and when he refused to enter the house, his father came out and pleaded with him. He said to his father in reply, ‘Look, all these years I served you and not once did I disobey your orders; yet you never gave me even a young goat to feast on with my friends. But when your son returns who swallowed up your property with prostitutes, for him you slaughter the fattened calf.’ He said to him, ‘My son, you are here with me always; everything I have is yours. But now we must celebrate and rejoice, because your brother was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.’”

Femily: The Prodigal Daughter and Gender Equality

Consider the following: In the time of Jesus, if the prodigal were a female, she would not have inherited her father’s property. If she ran away from home, she would not be welcomed back by anyone. She might have turned into one of those loose women or prostitutes that the male prodigal spent his money on. As it was in the time of Jesus, women are still hampered today by their gender. The plight of women in the workplace and in the world must be corrected to undo the feminization of poverty. Women are denied access, participation and power. These inequities cannot be addressed without taking gender into account in every aspect of global economy and employment policy. Women must have equal opportunity for employment with equal pay and equal social protections.

Women must be equally represented in our governmental structures. The U.S. Congress should be 50% women to conform with the U.N. Declaration of Human Rights. The U.S. Supreme Court should be 50% women, if we really need to get women’s wisdom and expertise into our legal decisions.

One reason for the poverty of women is the phenomenon of unpaid work like child care and care of the critically ill and aging. There should be national and international recognition and accounting for such unpaid work that sustains society. Governments can find creative means to pay women and other helpers for unpaid work. Cuba has done something along this line.

Then there is the phenomenon of immigration. The search for decent work is a driving force for migrants and internally displaced persons throughout the world. Following the U.N. Declaration of Human Rights regulations would aid in changing the poor conditions under which many migrants are currently employed.

So what would Jesus have thought about prostitutes that were thrown out of their homes? We know he protected a prostitute and recommended that the person who cast the first stone should be a sinless individual. Forced labor and the trafficking of women and children for sexual exploitation and prostitution are closely linked to poverty and migration. Governments must enforce anti-trafficking laws and punish the perpetrators. According to the U.N. Human Rights Declaration, governments and people are obliged to create migration systems that facilitate family unification and productive employment. According to Jesus’ message of love and kindness we should encourage the immigrant, prevent the trafficking of women and children, and conform our actions, so that they reconcile us to God and to each other.

For Communion: Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer.

Readings and Femily for the Fifth Sunday of Lent - YearC, 2013,2017,2021,etc.

Reading 1 is from Isaiah 43:16-21

Thus says God, who opens a way in the sea and a path in the mighty waters, who leads out chariots and horsemen, a powerful army, till they lie prostrate together, never to rise, snuffed out and quenched like a wick. Remember not the events of the past, the things of long ago consider not; see, I am doing something new! Now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? In the desert I make a way, in the wasteland, rivers. Wild beasts honor me, jackals and ostriches, for I put water in the desert and rivers in the wasteland for my chosen people to drink, the people whom I formed for myself, that they might announce my praise.

Responsorial Psalm is #126:1-6

Response: Our God has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.

When God brought back the captives of Zion, we were like people dreaming.

Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with rejoicing.

Response: Our God has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.

Then they said among the nations, “Their God has done great things for them.”

Our God has done great things for us; we are glad indeed.

Response: Our God has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.

Restore our fortunes, O God, like the torrents in the southern desert.

Those that sow in tears shall reap rejoicing.

Response: Our God has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.

Although they go forth weeping, carrying the seed to be sown,

They shall come back rejoicing, carrying their sheaves.

Response: Our God has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.

Reading 2 is from Philippians 3:8-14

Brothers and sisters: I consider everything as a loss because of the supreme good of knowing Christ Jesus my Savior. For his sake I have accepted the loss of all things, and I consider them so much rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having any righteousness of my own based on the law but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God, depending on faith to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by being conformed to his death, if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead. It is not that I have already taken hold of it or have already attained perfect maturity, but I continue my pursuit in hope that I may possess it, since I have indeed been taken possession of by Christ Jesus. Brothers and sisters, I for my part do not consider myself to have obtained the prize. Forgetting what lies behind but straining forward to what lies ahead, I continue my pursuit toward the goal, the prize of God’s upward calling, in Christ Jesus.

Gospel is from John 8:1-11

Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. But early in the morning he arrived again in the temple area, and all the people started coming to him, and he sat down and taught them. Then the scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery and made her stand in the middle. They said to him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the very act of committing adultery. Now in the law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?” They said this to test him, so that they could have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and began to write on the ground with his finger. But when they continued asking him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” Again he bent down and wrote on the ground. And in response, they went away one by one, beginning with the elders. So he was left alone with the woman before him. Then Jesus straightened up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She replied, “No one, sir.” Then Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you. Go, and from now on do not sin any more.”

Femily: The Sex Problem

It is hard to understand why authoritative men get so upset about a woman taken in adultery and then often do nothing about men who perform adultery or molest children. The Creator of us all made us male and female with variations in between, inserting an urge to perform sex and procreate. Down through the ages, we have tried to handle this urge to sex in many ways. Often, the heavy rod falls on the backs of women. Often, if a man rapes them, they can be stoned to death, although it was not their crime, but the crime of the man. This seems like a very contradictory situation.

One of the products of God’s creation is humanity, and one possible purpose for our existence might be to increase the amount of love in the world. God’s community, the church, was established to guide us to greater love, but the authoritarian church, with its rules and regulations, runs the risk of stifling love in some areas. A woman who has been raped needs consolation and deserves understanding. A raped woman is a human being, not an object to be discarded because of a law that men have devised. When religious rules tell men that they should stone women caught being raped, there is something wrong with equality and justice in the system. When rules forbid women to officiate on the altar, women become second class citizens, and this situation makes for a decrease of love in the world.

How the church prays, shows what the church believes. Lex orandi, lex credendi, the Latin phrase left over from the teenage years of the church, means literally that the law of praying is the law of believing. In our worship forms, we express our beliefs. When we worship only under the guidance of male priests, the belief that shows is that women are a lesser species, not equal with men in the sight of God. Actions speak louder than words, and liturgical actions speak loudly of male supremacy.

Those who lead our worship forms must be celibate males. To guide the community in remembering Jesus Christ properly, celibacy and maleness are the most important items. The quality of love does not appear to be a necessary requirement.  Observing this, women inwardly wonder why it is necessary to be a celibate male in order to lift high the cup of blessing. With each married episcopal priest that becomes a catholic, the question of ‘why celibacy` must ring loudly in the ears of the whole catholic community.

Many priests living and serving today have been ordained believing that to be celibate is the most important requirement of a viable priesthood. If you tell yourself day after day that celibacy is necessary, and that familiarity with women is dangerous for you, you are liable to develop lifelong attitudes that set you apart from the ordinary human being. This emphasis on celibacy might through the normal channels of repression make sex into something unclean, when it is one of God’s greatest gifts to humankind, and when it is an outstanding way for God’s love to flow from human to human. We probably owe much to the desert friars of the early Christian centuries for the debasement of women. Those of them who repressed all their human and ordinary feelings, naturally came up with a subconscious full of seductive women, that made them all the more sure that the devil was in league with the female.

Celibacy can be a very positive action. There is much good in celibacy, and for some people it is the state of life to which God calls them, and in which they will find their fulfillment. However, celibacy is a very personal affair and should not be forced on anyone. Each human should be able to make up his/her own mind as to which state God calls him/her. Some find it is easier to serve God in the celibate state; others find that reinforcement from a loving spouse helps them to live a more Christian life.

Celibacy is looked at by some practitioners as a trade-off. They believe that if you divert your loving impulses from your everyday human needs, then it is easier to love and to serve the whole human race. The average priest often homilizes the opposite opinion to his Sunday morning audience when he tells them to make peace within themselves before they rush out to reform the world. Paul sounds the same advice when he tells Timothy that a deacon should be able to keep his/her own family in line before he/she tackles church problems. It would be edifying if all priests were required to show evidence of being a good spouse or father/mother before they were allowed to advise others on family problems. Experience in caring and sharing seems like a more necessary requirement for the priesthood than celibacy.

There is sometimes the objection to non-celibate clergy on the grounds that catholic parishes can’t support a priest and his family. These objectors overlook the fact that all these parishes are supporting housekeepers, and that with a married priest, the parish would get the housekeeper free of charge. If priests were allowed to have children, the parish would also reap the benefits of the priest’s understanding of parenting, gained through his first hand struggles with being a parent. Yet being a parent doesn’t automatically make a person insightful; the celibate may have a loving understanding of children. There doesn’t seem to be a direct relationship between the quality of celibacy and a person functioning as a loving caring human being.

Women not only have to put up with the put down of being told that only celibate males can function on the altar. They automatically go along with sexist language in prayers and in readings. Our Bible was compiled by men, who carefully left out the Gospel according to Mary Magdalene and the book of Faith-Wisdom in which we are told that whoever the Spirit inspires is divinely ordained to speak, whether man or woman.

Our Judaic-Christian heritage is replete with sexist put downs. The cult of circumcision was designed to keep power in the hands of the ‘good old boys`. The prophets who saw the unlovingness of this situation urged the circumcision of the heart. It is elevating to think of a circumcised heart, with its ego nipped in the bud, so that infection from selfish desires won’t set in and cause spiritual death. Even women can have circumcised hearts.

The Holy Spirit working in the early church managed to change the requirement of entry into the community from circumcision of the flesh to baptism, a visible sign applicable to both men and women. Women shared in the early governance and service of the community. As time passed and liturgies took shape, the dominant male took over the ceremonies, and women were advised to keep silence and to do the housekeeping chores.

Women’s hands are good enough to dust the altar, polish the paten, and fill the ciborium with wine. Her feet are good enough to walk all over the altar doing menial tasks. Her voice is good enough to be heard on the altar discussing the rituals of cleaning, but when it comes to telling the people that Jesus loves them as Jesus told his friends to do, her vocal chords are considered to have the wrong number of chromosomes. Women are advised that Jesus was not female, and so they cannot expect to facilitate his worship.

If it is a case of having a body like Jesus, perhaps we ought to consider other characteristics, such as fatness or thinness, color of hair, skin, and eyes, whether one is extrovert or introvert. One might even consider if the candidate for the priesthood is a gentle person with healing in his/her hands and love in his/her heart. If we are forced to consider chromosomes, we wonder how many priests of today have chromosomes like those of Jesus, who was totally human, but chemically (as the church would have it) derived from a human mother. If his chromosomes were all derived from a female, we might be faced with the fact that only females should be priests, or that a chromosome count like that of Jesus is not a necessary characteristic for a priest to possess.

For Communion: Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer.

Readings and Femily for Palm Sunday – YearC, 2013,2017,2021,etc.

Reading 1 is from Isaiah 50:4-7

The Loving God has given me a well-trained tongue, that I might know how to speak to the weary a word that will rouse them. Morning after morning God opens my ear that I may hear; and I have not rebelled, have not turned back. I gave my back to those who beat me, my cheeks to those who plucked my beard; my face I did not shield from buffets and spitting. The Loving God is my help, therefore I am not disgraced; I have set my face like flint, knowing that I shall not be put to shame.

Responsorial Psalm is #22:8-9, 17-20, 23-24

Response: My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?

All who see me scoff at me; they mock me with parted lips, they wag their heads:

“He relied on God; let God deliver him, let God rescue him, if God loves him.”

Response: My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?

Indeed, many dogs surround me, a pack of evildoers closes in upon me;

They have pierced my hands and my feet; I can count all my bones.

Response: My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?

They divide my garments among them, and for my vesture they cast lots.

But you, O God, be not far from me; O my Helper, hasten to aid me.

Response: My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?

I will proclaim your name to the people; in the midst of the assembly I will praise you:

You who fear our God, give praise; all you descendants of Jacob, give glory to God.

Response: My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?

Reading 2 is from Philemon 2:6-11

Christ Jesus, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness; and found human in appearance, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Because of this, God greatly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus is the Christ, to the glory of God our Abba.

Gospel is from Luke 22:14—23:56

When the hour came, Jesus took his place at table with the apostles. He said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer, for, I tell you, I shall not eat it again until there is fulfillment in the realm of God.” Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and said, “Take this and share it among yourselves; for I tell you that from this time on I shall not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” Then he took the bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which will be given for you; do this in memory of me.” And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which will be shed for you. And yet behold, the hand of the one who is to betray me is with me on the table; for the Son of Man indeed goes as it has been determined; but woe to that man by whom he is betrayed.” And they began to debate among themselves who among them would do such a deed. Then an argument broke out among them about which of them should be regarded as the greatest. He said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them and those in authority over them are addressed as ‘Benefactors’; but among you it shall not be so. Rather, let the greatest among you be as the youngest, and the leader as the servant. For who is greater: the one seated at table or the one who serves? Is it not the one seated at table? I am among you as the one who serves. It is you who have stood by me in my trials; and I confer a kingdom on you, just as my Abba has conferred one on me, that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom; and you will sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel. “Simon, Simon, behold Satan has demanded to sift all of you like wheat, but I have prayed that your own faith may not fail; and once you have turned back, you must strengthen your brothers.” Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, I am prepared to go to prison and to die with you.” But Jesus replied, “I tell you, Peter, before the cock crows this day, you will deny three times that you know me.” Jesus said to them, “When I sent you forth without a money bag or a sack or sandals, were you in need of anything?” “No, nothing, “ they replied. He said to them, “But now one who has a money bag should take it, and likewise a sack, and one who does not have a sword should sell his cloak and buy one. For I tell you that this Scripture must be fulfilled in me, namely, “He was counted among the wicked; and indeed what is written about me is coming to fulfillment.” Then they said, “Rabbi, look, there are two swords here.” But he replied, “It is enough!” Then going out, he went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples followed him. When he arrived at the place he said to them, “Pray that you may not undergo the test.” After withdrawing about a stone’s throw from them and kneeling, he prayed, saying, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me; still, not my will but yours be done.” And to strengthen him an angel from heaven appeared to him. He was in such agony and he prayed so fervently that his sweat became like drops of blood falling on the ground. When he rose from prayer and returned to his disciples, he found them sleeping from grief. He said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Get up and pray that you may not undergo the test.” While he was still speaking, a crowd approached and in front was one of the Twelve, a man named Judas. He went up to Jesus to kiss him. Jesus said to him, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?” His disciples realized what was about to happen, and they asked, “Rabbi, shall we strike with a sword?” And one of them struck the high priest’s servant and cut off his right ear. But Jesus said in reply, “Stop, no more of this!” Then he touched the servant’s ear and healed him. And Jesus said to the chief priests and temple guards and elders who had come for him, “Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs? Day after day I was with you in the temple area, and you did not seize me; but this is your hour, the time for the power of darkness.” After arresting him they led him away and took him into the house of the high priest; Peter was following at a distance. They lit a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat around it, and Peter sat down with them. When a maid saw him seated in the light, she looked intently at him and said, “This man too was with him.” But he denied it saying, “Woman, I do not know him.” A short while later someone else saw him and said, “You too are one of them;” but Peter answered, “My friend, I am not.” About an hour later, still another insisted, “Assuredly, this man too was with him, for he also is a Galilean.” But Peter said, “My friend, I do not know what you are talking about.” Just as he was saying this, the cock crowed, and Jesus turned and looked at Peter; and Peter remembered the word of Jesus, how he had said to him, “Before the cock crows today, you will deny me three times.” He went out and began to weep bitterly. The men who held Jesus in custody were ridiculing and beating him. They blindfolded him and questioned him, saying, “Prophesy! Who is it that struck you?” And they reviled him in saying many other things against him. When day came the council of elders of the people met, both chief priests and scribes, and they brought him before their Sanhedrin. They said, “If you are the Christ, tell us, “but he replied to them, “If I tell you, you will not believe, and if I question, you will not respond. But from this time on the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the power of God.” They all asked, “Are you then the Son of God?” He replied to them, “You say that I am.” Then they said, “What further need have we for testimony? We have heard it from his own mouth.” Then the whole assembly of them arose and brought him before Pilate. They brought charges against him, saying, “We found this man misleading our people; he opposes the payment of taxes to Caesar and maintains that he is the Christ, a king.” Pilate asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” He said to him in reply, “You say so.” Pilate then addressed the chief priests and the crowds, “I find this man not guilty.” But they were adamant and said, “He is inciting the people with his teaching throughout all Judea, from Galilee where he began even to here.” On hearing this Pilate asked if the man was a Galilean; and upon learning that he was under Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod who was in Jerusalem at that time. Herod was very glad to see Jesus; he had been wanting to see him for a long time, for he had heard about him and had been hoping to see him perform some sign. Herod questioned him at length, but Jesus gave him no answer. The chief priests and scribes, meanwhile, stood by accusing him harshly. Herod and his soldiers treated him contemptuously and mocked him, and after clothing him in resplendent garb, Herod sent him back to Pilate. Herod and Pilate became friends that very day, even though they had been enemies formerly. Pilate then summoned the chief priests, the rulers, and the people and said to them, “You brought this man to me and accused him of inciting the people to revolt. I have conducted my investigation in your presence and have not found this man guilty of the charges you have brought against him, nor did Herod, for he sent him back to us. So no capital crime has been committed by him. Therefore I shall have him flogged and then release him.” But all together they shouted out, “Away with this man! Release Barabbas to us.” Now Barabbas had been imprisoned for a rebellion that had taken place in the city and for murder. Again Pilate addressed them, still wishing to release Jesus, but they continued their shouting, “Crucify him! Crucify him!” Pilate addressed them a third time, “What evil has this man done? I found him guilty of no capital crime. Therefore I shall have him flogged and then release him.” With loud shouts, however, they persisted in calling for his crucifixion, and their voices prevailed. The verdict of Pilate was that their demand should be granted. So he released the man who had been imprisoned for rebellion and murder, for whom they asked, and he handed Jesus over to them to deal with as they wished. As they led him away they took hold of a certain Simon, a Cyrenian, who was coming in from the country; and after laying the cross on him, they made him carry it behind Jesus. A large crowd of people followed Jesus, including many women who mourned and lamented him. Jesus turned to them and said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep instead for yourselves and for your children for indeed, the days are coming when people will say, ‘Blessed are the barren, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed.’ At that time people will say to the mountains, ‘Fall upon us!’ and to the hills, ‘Cover us!’ for if these things are done when the wood is green what will happen when it is dry?” Now two others, both criminals, were led away with him to be executed. When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him and the criminals there, one on his right, the other on his left. Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, they know not what they do.” They divided his garments by casting lots. The people stood by and watched; the rulers, meanwhile, sneered at him and said, “He saved others, let him save himself if he is the chosen one, the Christ of God.” Even the soldiers jeered at him. As they approached to offer him wine they called out, “If you are King of the Jews, save yourself.” Above him there was an inscription that read,  “This is the King of the Jews.” Now one of the criminals hanging there reviled Jesus, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us.” The other, however, rebuking him, said in reply, “Have you no fear of God, for you are subject to the same condemnation? And indeed, we have been condemned justly, for the sentence we received corresponds to our crimes, but this man has done nothing criminal.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” He replied to him, “Amen, I say to you,  today you will be with me in Paradise.” It was now about noon and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon because of an eclipse of the sun. Then the veil of the temple was torn down the middle. Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit”; and when he had said this he breathed his last. (Here all kneel and pause for a short time.)

The centurion who witnessed what had happened glorified God and said, “This man was innocent beyond doubt.” When all the people who had gathered for this spectacle saw what had happened, they returned home beating their breasts; but all his acquaintances stood at a distance, including the women who had followed him from Galilee and saw these events. Now there was a virtuous and righteous man named Joseph who, though he was a member of the council, had not consented to their plan of action. He came from the Jewish town of Arimathea and was awaiting the kingdom of God. He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. After he had taken the body down, he wrapped it in a linen cloth and laid him in a rock-hewn tomb in which no one had yet been buried. It was the day of preparation, and the sabbath was about to begin. The women who had come from Galilee with him followed behind, and when they had seen the tomb and the way in which his body was laid in it, they returned and prepared spices and perfumed oils. Then they rested on the sabbath according to the commandment.

Femily: Beginnings of the Christian Churches.

Things don’t look very good for Jesus Christ. He must have been very discouraged. Peter was denying him. Who would stand by Jesus? There were the women, but they were helpless in this horrible situation. Did any of them look far into the future and see thousands of worshipers crowding the churches and believing in Jesus’ way of love? Even if they could see into the future, they would also see some Catholic priests behaving irresponsibly.

What can church leadership do about the presentday situation? This might be an appropriate time to look at the beginnings of the Catholic hierarchy. Why does the Pope dress in a long white cassock? Why do the Cardinals have red hats?

At a recent counting there were 103 active cardinals on the rosters of the Roman Catholic Church. Pope Paul VI made an arrangement that says there can be 120. Responsible Catholics most surely want to know what the head of our church, Jesus Christ, thinks about cardinals. In his time among us as a human being, Jesus had confrontations with the priestly leaders of the Hebrew people. He remarked that everything they did was to attract attention, like emphasizing their prayer amulets, enjoying the place of honor at banquets and synagogues, or being greeted by honorary names (Matthew 23:5-7).

Today there is a new generation of priests who are faced with the same old problems: there are seats of honor to be given out at the banquet table, and honorary titles. Candidates are being speculated upon. Will the Archbishops of Philadelphia, St. Louis, or New York get to be appointed cardinals, as were their predecessors? Some of these appointments seem to be establishing traditions. Will the church continue in its way of imitating the Pharisaical patriarchal community that Jesus railed against? Jesus, looking down on us from his viewpoint at the right hand of God, must have some thoughts about cardinals.

Cardinals presumably exist at the instigation of the Holy Spirit. How did they come into being? Just what is a cardinal anyway? The word cardinal comes from cardo meaning point or pivot around which everything turns. In the second century of church history St. Ignatius (himself the Bishop of Antioch) spoke of the bishop of a church as the pivot on which the church turned. In the early church women leaders of congregations could easily be considered as pivotal to their flock. Both the name Cardinalis and Papa were applied freely to pastors and church officers generally, but as one diocese became more powerful and controlling, the use of titles became restricted. To keep power in Rome, cardinals came to be associated with the sees around the Vatican. They would gather to elect a new Pope from their number and thus kept the office of Pope as a Roman possession. Gradually, use was made of these honorary titles in order to reward far-flung Catholics and to tie them more closely to Roman opinion. It was not necessary to be a priest to gain this honor. John de Medici was designated cardinal at the age of 14. A prince of the House of Bourbon became the Cardinal and Archbishop of Toledo at the tender age of 8 in the relatively recent year of 1740.

In order to really understand the office of cardinal, we must probe further back into history than the time of Jesus Christ, back to the pluralistic religion of Ancient Rome, when Rome was ruled, not by emperors, but by Etruscan kings. The king had a group of advisors called the Duoviri made up of priests (who offered sacrifices) and of augurs (who foretold the future). Both sacrificers and foretellers are very necessary in order for a king to guide his people properly; and in early Israel we find King David making use of both priests and prophets. In Rome the Duoviri became quite powerful, and overthrew the king. The chief priest became known as the pontifex maximus and moved into the king’s palace. The rest of the crew became known as his consilium. Variations of this form of rule continued in Rome, with the power sometimes in the hands of the religious specialists, sometimes in the hands of an emperor. As the different Roman gods had different functions and festivals, their support groups developed along the same model as the government of Rome. Consequently, the priest-sacrificers of Mars were known as Flamens and would perform elaborate rituals and dances on the God Mars’ special feast day. Also associated with the God Mars were the prominent ones, or Sali, presumably the men who were versed in ethics. In Israel the same societal mix occurred with the Council of the Seventy and the priest functionaries.

The Roman Senate became the consulting group for the emperor. Senators were allowed to wear a strip of purple on their garment as a notification of their dignity. A common person in Rome who had political ambitions would be spoken of as aspiring to the purple. In these later times we hear of ordinary priests who work hard, as similarly aspiring to the purple of the church senatorial group or cardinalate. If this honor lies in the color purple, why does a cardinal have a scarlet cap? Are we somehow being confused with the magenta shaded colors of lesser church dignitaries?

Why, indeed, a cap at all? The custom of prayer caps is another common thread that runs through religious observances. This custom may have started from as simple a thing as a balding sun-god-worshipper trying to prevent his head from getting sun-burned. Many men today proclaim their allegiance to a baseball team by wearing a cap with the proper insignia. This is often with the secondary agenda of covering up a receding hairline. There is nothing wrong with being bald; in fact, it gives your ordinary man an ennobling look. Yet some men are sensitive, and if you grew bald in ancient Rome and were a religious person, you could cover up this nakedness with a prayer cap. The color coding of the High Priest of Jupiter was white, signifying purity and light, and he traditionally wore all white clothes, and a white cap. His hench-men or hinge-men or pivotal priests who offered the animal sacrifices, could not wear white for the simple reason that animal sacrifice was a bloody business, and white clothing would be a bloody mess. A good cover-up color for animal sacrifice is red. When we call ourselves Roman Catholic, we are really announcing where our costume colors come from.

However, the Catholic Church might have remained more humble and less colorful, if it weren’t for the sacking of Rome by the barbarians. In meditating on some of the predicaments that societies get themselves into, and what some leaders are called upon to do, we may find ourselves becoming more sympathetic to those leaders, and their decisions. With the Vandals on the threshold of the city, and the emperor leaving for safer parts, the city of Rome entered a period of social crisis. Who was able to fill the power vacuum and save the people from annihilation? The Pope of the time, after what must have been deep soul searching, stood up for the citizens of Rome, and gained respect from the invaders. In order to do this effectively, he and his counselors had to assume the power symbols of the fled aristocracy. Those symbols are still with us today.

John Paul II may give this coveted red hat to as many as 17 of those in his employ. His hands are slightly restricted by a declaration of Pope John XXIII that cardinals must be bishops. However, it is easy to appoint a deserving person to be a bishop and then elevate him or her still further. Actually, with the power vested in a Pope, it would be relatively easy to appoint a deserving woman (such as Joan Chittister) to the priesthood and promote her rapidly up through the ranks as monsignor, bishop, archbishop, to cardinal. Just imagine Sister Joan in a red hat! This wise woman would certainly shun such flamboyant show, but as a dedicated servant of God she might accept the costume, in order to confirm the equality of women and men in the Catholic Church.

For Communion: Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Pray that the religions of the world will be more understanding of their differences. Pray that all people, both men and women, will treat each other with dignity and respect. Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer.

Readings and Femily for Good Friday – YearC, 2013,2017,2021,etc.

Reading 1 is from Isaiah 52:13—53:12

See, my servant shall prosper, he shall be raised high and greatly exalted. Even as many were amazed at him, so marred was his look beyond human semblance and his appearance beyond that of other humans, so shall he startle many nations. Because of him, kings shall stand speechless; for those who have not been told shall see, those who have not heard shall ponder it. Who would believe what we have heard? To whom has the arm of God been revealed? He grew up like a sapling before God, like a shoot from the parched earth; there was in him no stately bearing to make us look at him, nor appearance that would attract us to him. He was spurned and avoided by people, a person of suffering, accustomed to infirmity, one of those from whom people hide their faces, spurned, and we held him in no esteem. Yet it was our infirmities that he bore, our sufferings that he endured, while we thought of him as stricken, as one smitten by God and afflicted. But he was pierced for our offenses, crushed for our sins; upon him was the chastisement that makes us whole, by his stripes we were healed. We had all gone astray like sheep, each following their own way; but God laid upon him the guilt of us all. Though he was harshly treated, he submitted and opened not his mouth; like a lamb led to the slaughter or a sheep before the shearers, he was silent and opened not his mouth. Oppressed and condemned, he was taken away, and who would have thought any more of his destiny? When he was cut off from the land of the living, and smitten for the sin of his people, a grave was assigned him among the wicked and a burial place with evildoers, though he had done no wrong nor spoken any falsehood. But God was pleased to crush him in infirmity. If he gives his life as an offering for sin, he shall see his descendants in a long life, and the will of God shall be accomplished through him. Because of his affliction he shall see the light in fullness of days; through his suffering, my servant shall justify many, and their guilt he shall bear. Therefore I will give him his portion among the great, and he shall divide the spoils with the mighty, because he surrendered himself to death and was counted among the wicked; and he shall take away the sins of many, and win pardon for their offenses.

Responsorial Psalm is #31:2, 6, 12-17, 25

Response (Luke 23:46) Abba, into your hands I commend my spirit.

In you, O God, I take refuge; let me never be put to shame. In your justice rescue me.

Into your hands I commend my spirit; you will redeem me, O God, O faithful God.

Response: Abba, into your hands I commend my spirit.

For all my foes I am an object of reproach, a laughingstock to my neighbors, and a dread to my friends;

They who see me abroad flee from me. I am forgotten like unremembered dead; I am like a dish that is broken.

Response: Abba, into your hands I commend my spirit.

But my trust is in you, O God; I say, “You are my God.

In your hands is my destiny; rescue me from the clutches of my enemies and my persecutors.”

Response: Abba, into your hands I commend my spirit.

Let your face shine upon your servant; save me in your kindness.

Take courage and be stouthearted, all you who hope in God.

Response: Abba, into your hands I commend my spirit.

Reading 2 is from Hebrews 4:14-16; 5:7-9

Brothers and sisters: Since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Messiah, let us hold fast to our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has similarly been tested in every way, yet without sin. So let us confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and to find grace for timely help. In the days when Christ was in the flesh, he offered prayers and supplications with loud cries and tears to the one who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered; and when he was made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him.

Femily: Who Authored the Gospel of John?

Who was the faithful reporter that gave all this detailed gospel information to us? Tradition attributes this gospel to John son of Zebedee. Opponents attribute the gospel to Cerinthus, a Gnostic. Other opponents say that John and James were slain by the Jews in Jerusalem, and that Mark 10:39 prophesied about this. The beloved disciple (the one Jesus loved) of John 13:23, 19:26, 20:2, 21:7, 20, 24 is most likely Mary Magdalene (just change the his and him to her for the sake of secondary English translations), while the other disciple known to the high priest of 18:15,16, and 21:2 may be a woman disciple. It was the custom not to mention the names of women in public writings, unless they were very important. This woman may be Joanna which is a name similar to the male name John. Who was Joanna? Her name is mentioned in Luke 24:10 as being at the tomb. She may be the child spoken of in Luke 8:55 whose father was an important synagogue official. Another possibility is that this other disciple may be Salome (see Mark 15:41) who might have been known to the high priest. Salome is at the cross in Mark 15:40. John 21:2 is the only place where James, John, or sons of Zebedee are mentioned, so people try to connect the beloved disciple with John in this Gospel. John and Peter are mentioned together in Acts 3:1,4,11, 8:14, Luke 22:8, and Galatians 2:9. It seems that “those who gave out this Gospel to the world intended its readers to regard the apostle John as in some way its authority” but if this were so, “we should have expected a Gospel claiming so high an apostolic authority to have been more widely known and quoted as Johannine much earlier than seems to have been the case.” (Interpreters Bible Volume 8, NY Abingdon Press 1952, p.440)

For Communion: Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer.

Readings and Femily for Easter Sunday – YearC, 2013,2017,2021,etc.

See Matthew for Vigil Mass, Morning Mass for Mark, Evening Mass Luke, John for Mass Early in the Day

Reading 1 is from Acts 10:34a, 37-43

Peter proceeded to speak and said: “You know what has happened all over Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached, how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power. He went about doing good and healing all those oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. We are witnesses of all that he did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree. This man God raised on the third day and granted that he be visible, not to all the people, but to us, the witnesses chosen by God in advance, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. He commissioned us to preach to the people and testify that he is the one appointed by God as judge of the living and the dead. To him all the prophets bear witness, that everyone who believes in him will receive forgiveness of sins through his name.”

Responsorial Psalm is #118:1-2, 16-17, 22-23

Response (Verse 24) This is the day our God has made; let us rejoice and be glad.

Give thanks to our God, for God is good, and God’s mercy endures forever.

Let the house of Israel say, “God’s mercy endures forever.”

Response: This is the day our God has made; let us rejoice and be glad.

“The right hand of God has struck with power; the right hand of God is exalted.

I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of God.”

Response: This is the day our God has made; let us rejoice and be glad.

The stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.

By our God has this been done; it is wonderful in our eyes.

Response: This is the day our God has made; let us rejoice and be glad.

Reading 2 is from I Corinthians 5:6b-8

Brothers and sisters: Do you not know that a little yeast leavens all the dough? Clear out the old yeast, so that you may become a fresh batch of dough, inasmuch as you are unleavened. For our paschal lamb, Christ, has been sacrificed. Therefore, let us celebrate the feast, not with the old yeast, the yeast of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

Gospel is from Luke 24:1-35

Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them. And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre.

And they entered in, and found not the body of Jesus. And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two persons stood by them in shining garments: And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, “Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen. Remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee, saying, “The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.” And they remembered Jesus’ words, And returned from the sepulchre, and told all these things unto the eleven, and to all the rest. It was Mary Magdalene and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, and other women that were with them, which told these things unto the apostles. And their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they believed them not. Then arose Peter, and ran unto the sepulchre; and stooping down, he beheld the linen clothes laid by themselves, and departed, wondering in himself at that which was come to pass. And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs. And they talked together of all these things which had happened. And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them. But their eyes were holden that they should not know him. And he said unto them, What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad? And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto him, “Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days?” And he said unto them, “What things?” And they said unto him, “Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people: And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him. But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done. Yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulchre; And when they found not his body, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive. And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre, and found it even so as the women had said: but him they saw not.” Then he said unto them, “O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?” And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and he made as though he would have gone further. But they constrained him, saying, “Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent.” And he went in to tarry with them. And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them. And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight. And they said one to another, “Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?” And they rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them, Saying, “The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon.” And they told what things were done in the way, and how he was known of them in breaking of bread.

Gospel is from John 20:1-9

On the first day of the week, Mary of Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning, while it was still dark, and saw the stone removed from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them, “They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we don’t know where they put him.” So Peter and the other disciple went out and came to the tomb. They both ran, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter and arrived at the tomb first; she bent down and saw the burial cloths there, but did not go in. When Simon Peter arrived after her, he went into the tomb and saw the burial cloths there, and the cloth that had covered his head, not with the burial cloths but rolled up in a separate place. Then the other disciple also went in, the one who had arrived at the tomb first, and she saw and believed. For they did not yet understand the Scripture that he had to rise from the dead.

Femily: Who Wrote John’s Gospel?

In the Gospel for Easter, it is hard to imagine Mary Magdalene running to herself described as the other disciple whom Jesus loved. I have my opinion about this Gospel, but you don’t have to believe what I believe. It sounds to me like a scribe felt compelled to straighten everything out and bring the Gospel of John back under the safe authorship of John the son of Zebedee. In Misquoting Jesus Bart Ehrman details how parts of the gospels that were hard to understand might have been changed by a copyist who felt he/she knew what was being said. Some copyists would feel pressured to include beliefs that they wanted their fellow Christians to believe. How I long for a pre-Constantine Gospel of John that might not contain the words, “the disciple who Jesus loved” in John 20:2. A precise gospel might be able to confirm that Mary Magdalene was the consort of Jesus and that women could be eligible today for the office of priest. Perhaps the Vatican Library would have ancient copies of early gospels.

For Communion: Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for wisdom to understand the message of Jesus. Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer.

Readings and Femily for Second Sunday of Easter – YearC, 2013,2017,2021,etc.

Reading 1 is from Acts 5:12-16

Many signs and wonders were done among the people at the hands of the apostles. They were all together in Solomon’s portico. None of the others dared to join them, but the people esteemed them. Yet more than ever, believers in Jesus, great numbers of men and women, were added to them. Thus they even carried the sick out into the streets and laid them on cots and mats so that when Peter came by, at least his shadow might fall on one or another of them. A large number of people from the towns in the vicinity of Jerusalem also gathered, bringing the sick and those disturbed by unclean spirits, and they were all cured.

Responsorial Psalm is #118:2-4, 13-15, 22-24

Response: Give thanks to God for God is good, God’s love is everlasting.

Let the house of Israel say, “God’s mercy endures forever.”

Let those who fear God say, “God’s mercy endures forever.”

Response: Give thanks to God for God is good, God’s love is everlasting.

My strength and my courage is in God, and God has been my savior.

Hear the joyful shout of victory in the tents of the just!

Response: Give thanks to God for God is good, God’s love is everlasting.

The stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.

By our God has this been done; it is wonderful in our eyes.

Response: Give thanks to God for God is good, God’s love is everlasting.

Reading 2 is from Revelation 1:9-13, 17-19

I, Ioannhs, your friend, who share with you the distress, the kingdom, and the endurance we have in Jesus, found myself on the island called Patmos because I proclaimed God’s word and gave testimony to Jesus. I was caught up in spirit on God’s day and heard behind me a voice as loud as a trumpet, which said, “Write on a scroll what you see.” Then I turned to see whose voice it was that spoke to me, and when I turned, I saw seven gold lampstands and in the midst of the lampstands one like a human person, wearing an ankle-length robe, with a gold sash around the chest. When I caught sight of him, I fell down at his feet as though dead. He touched me with his right hand and said, “Do not be afraid. I am the first and the last, the one who lives. Once I was dead, but now I am alive forever and ever. I hold the keys to death and the netherworld. Write down, therefore, what you have seen, and what is happening, and what will happen afterwards.”

Gospel is from John 20:19-31

On the evening of that first day of the week, when the doors were locked, where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples rejoiced when they saw their Rabbi. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As my Abba has sent me, so I send you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.” Thomas, called Didymus, one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples said to him, “We have seen Jesus.” But Thomas said to them, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger into the nailmarks and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” Now a week later his disciples were again inside and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, although the doors were locked, and stood in their midst and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe.” Thomas answered and said to him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.” Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples that are not written in this book. But these are written that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that through this belief you may have life in his name.

Femily: Writing Events Down

“Write down what you have seen.” Take pictures with your phones. Have you yourself seen any persecutions lately? Have you seen other people being persecuted? Have you observed people calling the President names? Have you listened to those who want apologies from the Pope? Have you heard the complaints of the victims of sexual abuse? Have you seen the innocent victims of warfare and terrorism on the TV? What can you do about all these issues? Is it enough to write these things down and record them?

The writer of the Book of Revelation didn’t write the way we write today. He or she records thoughts in a visionary manner. He/she doesn’t talk about cruel politicians, but describes beasts with seven heads and ten horns. The author risks getting their own head chopped off if they mention any names. If the writer is a woman, she will probably get raped. This raping of women continues on today as an old-fashioned punishment or means of control. You would think that in our internet-enlightened era, we would have outgrown torture and rape as actions that lead to the fulfillment of the human race.

One way to lessen the agony of trauma is to write down what you can remember, and relate what you have written to a sympathetic listener. What you remember may not be exactly the way things happened, but it usually contains references to your fears and your agonies. If your listener can give you comfort and help you to feel safe, then your agony will be quieted just a little. This is slightly comparable to a child with a bruised knee being comforted by her mother. Gentle hands can release energy that soothes and calms. Praying hands can pull a soul out of psychological doldrums. Believing that Jesus hears and knows about our persecutions can help us to forgive those who persecute us. We can remember how he said at his crucifixion, “Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing.”

For Communion: Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for wisdom to understand the message of Jesus. Ask that those who have endured trauma, be healed of their distress. Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer.

Readings and Femily for the Third Sunday of Easter – YearC, 2013,2017,2021,etc.

Reading 1 is from Acts 5:27-32, 40-41

When the captain and the court officers had brought the apostles in and made them stand before the Sanhedrin, the high priest questioned them, “We gave you strict orders, did we not, to stop teaching in that name? Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and want to bring this man’s blood upon us.” But Peter and the apostles said in reply, “We must obey God rather than men. The God of our ancestors raised Jesus, though you had him killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him at his right hand as leader and savior to grant Israel repentance and forgiveness of sins. We are witnesses of these things, as is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him.” The Sanhedrin ordered the apostles to stop speaking in the name of Jesus, and dismissed them. So they left the presence of the Sanhedrin, rejoicing that they had been found worthy to suffer dishonor for the sake of the name.

Responsorial Psalm 30:2-6, 11-13

Response (2a) I will praise you, Loving God, for you have rescued me.

I will extol you, O God, for you drew me clear and did not let my enemies rejoice over me.

You brought me up from the netherworld; you preserved me from among those going down into the pit.

Response: I will praise you, Loving God, for you have rescued me.

Sing praise to God, you his faithful ones, for God’s anger lasts but a moment; a lifetime, God’s good will.

At nightfall, weeping enters in, but with the dawn, rejoicing.

Response: I will praise you, Loving God, for you have rescued me.

Hear, O God, and have pity on me; O God, be my helper.

You changed my mourning into dancing; O God, my God, forever will I give you thanks.

Response: I will praise you, Loving God, for you have rescued me.

Reading 2 is from Revelation 5:11-14

I, Ioannhs, looked and heard the voices of many angels who surrounded the throne and the living creatures and the elders. They were countless in number, and they cried out in a loud voice: “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches, wisdom and strength, honor and glory and blessing.” Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, everything in the universe, cry out: “To the one who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor, glory and might, forever and ever.” The four living creatures answered, “Amen,“ and the elders fell down and worshiped.

Gospel is from John 21:1-19

At that time, Jesus revealed himself again to his disciples at the Sea of Tiberias. He revealed himself in this way:-

Together were Simon Peter, Thomas called Didymus, Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, Zebedee’s sons, and two others of his disciples. Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We also will come with you.” So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. When it was already dawn, Jesus was standing on the shore; but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus. Jesus said to them, “Children, have you caught anything to eat?” They answered him, “No.” So he said to them, “Cast the net over the right side of the boat and you will find something.” So they cast it, and were not able to pull it in because of the number of fish. So the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is our Rabbi.” When Simon Peter heard that it was Jesus, he tucked in his garment, for he was lightly clad, and jumped into the sea. The other disciples came in the boat, for they were not far from shore, only about a hundred yards, dragging the net with the fish. When they climbed out on shore, they saw a charcoal fire with fish on it and bread. Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you just caught.” So Simon Peter went over and dragged the net ashore full of one hundred fifty-three large fish. Even though there were so many, the net was not torn. Jesus said to them, “Come, have breakfast.” And none of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?” because they realized it was their Rabbi. Jesus came over and took the bread and gave it to them, and in like manner the fish. This was now the third time Jesus was revealed to his disciples after being raised from the dead. When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” Simon Peter answered him, “Yes, Master, you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my lambs.” He then said to Simon Peter a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Simon Peter answered him, “Yes, Master, you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Tend my sheep.” Jesus said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was distressed that Jesus had said to him a third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Master, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. Amen, amen, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to dress yourself and go where you wanted; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” He said this signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God. And when he had said this, he said to him, “Follow me.”

Femily: On Popes, Priests, Pedophiles and Cover-ups.

Peter had his problems. So does Benedict XVI. Sexual abuse is not just rooted in clerical celibacy. This sexual problem pervades the whole world. We must somehow evolve above sexual disorder, war, religious hatreds, and oppression of the poor. We are at a tipping point. We have marvels of health care, internet education, communication, and transportation. Will we blow up the world with our nuclear power, degrade the earth with our orgies, or build up the earth to Point Omega?

I am as guilty as Benedict XVI. Perhaps I am guiltier. Cover-ups take place everywhere, even in the offices of psychiatrists. The one I participated in, took place in a state prison for women where I was a registered volunteer. One of the incarcerated women told me privately that one of the officers in charge of her section regularly raped the women on his nightly rounds. My response was, “That’s against the law.” Then thinking about it for a moment, I added, “If I report that to anyone, the prison officials won’t let me inside to do my volunteer work. They will say that they don’t believe me, and that whoever was telling me such a tale was only an inmate, and couldn’t be believed. They will persecute you.” Several weeks later the woman reported that several of them had gotten the ear of a woman officer who believed them, and that the offending officer was no longer at the prison. Was there a trial? Was he sent to prison for his misdeeds? Was he reassigned to a male prison where he was free to molest the younger men under his authority? There was no publicity about this happening. It was well covered up. And I did not report it!

I was happy to see in a recent internet communication that 500 women who suffered sex abuse in prisons in Michigan were awarded $100 million in damages after 13 years of legal battling. Were the few officers that engaged in this abuse punished, or did they die of AIDS? Some of the victims died of AIDS and did not get to receive their share of the government handout. Does having the state give you a refund for your agony relieve you of your trauma? Does having the Catholic laity empty their pockets to pay for the sins of a few priests, ease the trauma of those abused by the priests they trusted?

In the case of Benedict and the bishops, they may have been silent because they were under the seal of the confessional and heeded the Christian command of forgiveness. They had vows and obligations to support the reputation and welfare of the Catholic Church. The accusers were shy about speaking out vigorously against the abusers, leading those in authority to believe the scene might not be as bad as it was pictured.

Is our whole society at fault, because we engage in perverse behaviors? People in our country (and across the world) engage in the import of sexual slaves. Some Congressmen indulge in sexual junkets. We excuse sexually explicit dress and language on TV. We laugh nervously at ‘dirty jokes’. We fearfully insist that sex offenders be registered, so that we can track them via internet. What can the whole society do to ease the pain of those mistreated?

Over sixty years ago, a group of ethical people came up with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The United Nations today is busy pushing its member nations to implement the Millennium Development Goals which give direction to a world capable of observing Human Rights for All People. People in prison report that if you pray, if you try to help and comfort the people around you, and if you practice forgiveness for yourself and others, you are more likely to keep your sanity in the prison situation. Perhaps if the people of the world put their efforts into implementing the Millennium Development Goals for the oppressed of the world, they would be better able to work their way through their personal traumatic ordeals. The list of goals is self-explanatory:

1. Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger.

2. Achieve universal primary education.

3. Promote gender equality and empower women.

4. Reduce child mortality.

5. Improve maternal health.

6. Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other diseases.

7. Ensure environmental sustainability.

8. Develop a global partnership for development.

Would Peter have done a better job in his leadership position if he had the Millennium Development Goals to follow? Is Benedict aware of these goals? Does the present leadership of the Catholic Church attempt to promote gender equality? Do they empower women or do they treat them as they would treat little children, giving them secondary jobs to do, while they themselves fill all the authorative and ‘important’ job spots. Why isn’t a woman eligible to be Pope?

John 21:1-19 which has just been read, continues on with verses 20-25. If the Beloved Disciple is Mary Magdalene, and Peter, seeing Mary, says to Jesus, “What about her, Master,” then we are confronted with a mysterious and interesting conclusion to the Gospel of John. Is Jesus speaking for gender equality sometime in the future? Jesus’ reply to Peter is, “If I want her to stay behind till I come, what does that matter to you?”

For Communion: Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. You might meditate on gender equality and sexual abuse. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for wisdom to understand the message of Jesus. Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. You can make an email response to these readings, and you can make prayer requests.

Readings and Femily for the Fourth Sunday of Easter – YearC, 2013,2017,2021,etc.

Reading 1 is from Acts 13:44-52

The next sabbath almost the whole town assembled to hear the word of God. When they saw the crowds, the Jews prompted by jealousy, used blasphemies and contradicted everything Paul said. Then Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly. “We had to proclaim the word of God to you first, but since you have rejected it, since you do not think yourselves worthy of eternal life, we must turn to the pagans. For this is what God commanded:— I have made you a light for the nations, so that my salvation may reach the ends of the earth (Isaiah 49:6). It made the pagans very happy to hear this. They were thankful for the message, and became believers. But the Jews worked upon some of the devout women of the upper classes and the leading men of the city and persuaded them to turn against Paul and Barnabas and expel them from their territory.

Responsorial Psalm is #100: 1-3, 5

Response: We are God’s people, the sheep of God’s flock.

Aclaim Yahweh all the earth! Serve Yahweh gladly.

Come into Yahweh’s presence with songs of joy!

Response: We are God’s people, the sheep of God’s flock.

Know that Yahweh is our God.

Yahweh has made us and we belong to Yahweh.

Response: We are God’s people, the sheep of God’s flock.

Give thanks to Yahweh. Bless Yahweh’s Name!

Yahweh’s faithfulness endures from age to age.

Response: We are God’s people, the sheep of God’s flock.

Reading 2 is from Revelation 7: 9, 14-17

After that I saw a huge number, impossible to count, of people from every nation, race, tribe, and language; they were standing in front of the throne and in front of the Lamb, dressed in white robes and holding palms in their hands. … “These are the people who have been through the great persecution, and because they have washed their robes white again in the blood of the Lamb, they now stand in front of God’s throne and serve God day and night in the sanctuary. They will never hunger or thirst again; neither the sun or scorching wind will ever plague them; … and God will wipe all tears from their eyes.” (Isaiah 25:8).

Gospel is from John 10:27-30, 34

“The sheep that belong to me listen to my voice; I know them and they follow me. I give them eternal life; they will never be lost and no one will ever steal them from me. The Creator who gave them to me is greater than anyone, and no one can steal them from the Creator. The Creator and I are One.” Jesus continues, “Is it not written in your law: I said you are gods? (Psalm 82:6) So the Law uses the word gods of those to whom the word of God was addressed, and scripture cannot be rejected.”

Femily: The Good Shepherd

The Good Shepherd gives us eternal life if we will listen to his message.

Has the human spirit any relationship to the Spirit of the universe? If we were created by God, surely we have something in us that is a part of God. God and I make one entity, while God and you make another entity. The Spirit of Goodness and Compassion is willing to dwell in all of us. We are to be Good Shepherds and Good Shepherdesses to one another. No one can steal our souls from the Creator.

Paul used another explanation. Paul used very poor psychology in condemning a certain section of the people in the audience. Reading this condemnation might stir up one’s innards so that one might become anti-Jewish, but those who follow Jesus Christ must keep in mind that Jesus was the King of the Jews, a direct descendant of David, God’s gift to both the Jewish and Gentile world. Unfortunately, the author of Acts or some translator has Paul blaming Israel for the crucifixion, which was actually performed by the Roman soldiers. Blaming any particular group for the crucifixion is not realistic. Our total social system is to blame for the injustice and wars that flood across the earth. Each of us has the responsibility to respect other people and religions, to allow others freedom of expression, and to share with them the goods of the earth. Today I am concerned about gender-equality in the biblical readings, but it seems I should also be concerned about some servants of God who are willing to blame other sects and religions for imperfections that we all possess.

Do these readings speak of a type of exclusion? Will there be some who have been seriously suppressed, who get to wave the palm branches? What about those in authority who ordered the oppression or sent their soldiers out because they feared for their own safety? They may have had their reasons for trying to influence the unruly crowd. The God of Compassion and Evolution does not withhold forgiveness. We all should be able to be in the crowd that waves the palm branches. We all should strive to be good shepherds and shepherdesses.

For Communion: Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. You might meditate on gender equality and sexual abuse. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others? How can I help to solve the problems that are between Israel and Palestine?” Ask for wisdom to understand the message of Jesus. Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer.

Readings and Femily for the Fifth Sunday of Easter – YearC, 2013,2017,2021,etc.

Reading 1 is from Acts 14: 21-27

Paul and Barnabas reassured the disciples and exhorted them to continue in the faith, and reminded them that it is only after many tribulations that we enter the place of compassion and forgiveness. After they had appointed presbyters for them in each church, with prayer and fasting, they commended them to Jesus Christ in whose word they had come to believe. Crossing Pisidia, they came to Pamphylia, and after speaking God’s inspired message of kindness in Perge they went down to Attalia, and from there they sailed back to Antioch where they had first been entrusted to the grace of God for the work which they had now finished. On their arrival, they called the church together and reported how the Good Spirit had taken care of them and opened to the Gentiles a door of faith. And they stayed some time with the disciples.

Responsorial Psalm is #145:8-13

Response: I will praise your Name forever, my Help and my Redeemer.

Our God is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and full of kindness.

Our God is good to all, and merciful to all the creation.

Response: I will praise your Name forever, my Help and my Redeemer.

Let all your works praise you, Merciful One, and let your saints bless you.

Let them tell of your glory and speak of your kindness,

Response: I will praise your Name forever, my Help and my Redeemer.

Let them make known to all people your splendor and magnificence.

Your reign is for all the ages, and will endure for all generations.

Response: I will praise your Name forever, my Help and my Redeemer.

Reading 2 is from Revelation 21:1-5

(Some Bible’s start this reading with “I, John, saw …” , but this may be the Lady Joanna, Bishop of Ephesus. It might be translated, “I, Joanna, saw …”) You can imagine either a man or a woman saying Revelation 21, verses 1-5.

And I saw a new heaven and a new earth. For the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and the sea is no more. And I saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride or groom adorned for a celebration. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold the dwelling of God with all people. God’s Spirit is willing to dwell with all people, and God will wipe away all tears from their eyes. Death shall be no more; neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain any more, for the former things have passed away.”

Gospel is from John 13:31-33, 34-35

When Judas had left, Jesus said, “Now is this humanbeing glorified and God is glorified in this human being. If God is glorified in my physical body, God will also glorify me in the Spiritual Realm, and will do so at once. Little children, a new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: that as I have loved you, you also love one another. By this will all men know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Femily: Love One Another as I Have Loved You.

Jesus gave the message of love to the disciples, men and women, who followed him along the highways and byways of Palestine and who sat at the Last Supper table with him. If God would glorify Jesus in both his physical and spiritual body, surely God would do the same for the early disciples, and for the later day disciples.

Paul and Silas had a long journey to take in order to preach the Message of Jesus. But how great a distance we can cover today with our Internet capabilities! I can sit in my chair at home and spread God’s message of kindness and forgiveness to the four corners of the earth (to whomever will listen) as long as I have a computer and electric power.

The Responsorial Psalm proclaims, “I will praise your Name forever.” What is God’s Name if not the message of love spoken of by Jesus? This message is compassion and understanding, and we can carry it by words across the worldwide web, or show it by our everyday actions.

The message can be carried by myths, or it can mean business when spoken clearly and decisively. We live by our myths. Much human learning and experience goes into our myths. Sometimes myths can be very gentle, but other times symbolism and the urge to frighten others into obedience, get in the way of the message. We hear the message that God is Love, but we also see God as a terrifying judge who is out to get us for our misdeeds.

It can be difficult to live the message of Jesus. “Only after tribulations” and trauma can we understand the trauma of other people. How can we love one another as Jesus would love and forgive? Surely we would not condemn each other to prison or allow our politicians to send drone aircraft to demolish women and children! Only if we see the dark side of humanity, are we able to attempt to transform the broken world into the New Jerusalem.

For Communion: Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. You might meditate on gender equality and sexual abuse. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for wisdom to understand the message of Jesus. Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer.

Readings and Femily for the Sixth Sunday of Easter – YearC, 2013,2017,2021,etc.

Reading 1 is from Acts 15:1-2,22-29

Some came down from Judea and began to teach the community, “Unless you be circumcised after the manner of Moses, you cannot be saved.” When objection was made to this by Paul and Barnabas, they decided that Paul and Barnabas and certain others of them should go up to the apostles and presbyters at Jerusalem about this question.

Then the apostles and presbyters with the whole church decided to select representatives and to send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. These were Judas, surnamed Barsabbas, and Silas, leading persons in the group. They were bearers of the following letter: “The community who are apostles and presbyters send greetings to the communities of Gentile origin in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia. As we have heard that some of our number have disturbed you with their teaching, unsettling your minds, persons to whom we had given no instruction; we have decided, being assembled together, to select representatives and send them to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul; men who have pledged their lives for the name of Christ Jesus. We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who themselves also by word of mouth will give you the same message, for the Holy Spirit and we have decided to lay no further burden on you but this indispensable one, that you abstain from things offered to idols and from blood and from what is strangled and from immorality; keep yourselves from these things, and you will do well.”

Responsorial Psalm is #67:2-3, 5-6, 8

Response: O God, let all the nations praise you!

May God have pity on us and bless us;

May God show a shining countenance to us.

Response: O God, let all the nations praise you!

May the nations be glad and rejoice, for you judge the people with justice.

You rule the nations upon earth.

Response: O God, let all the nations praise you!

May the people praise you, O God; may all the people praise you.

May God bless us and may all the ends of the earth give God respect.

Response: O God, let all the nations praise you!

Reading 2 is from Revelation 21:10-14, 22-23

One of the seven angels took me up in spirit to a mountain, great and high, and showed me the holy city New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, having the glory of God. Its light was like to a precious stone, as it were a jasper stone, clear as crystal. It had a wall, great and high, with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written on them, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel. On the east are three gates, and on the north three gates, and on the south three gates, and on the west three gates. The wall of the city has twelve foundation stones, and on them twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. I saw no temple therein, for the Almighty and the Lamb are the temple thereof. The city has no need of the sun by day or the moon by night to shine on it, for the glory of God lights it up, and the Lamb is the lamp thereof.

Gospel is from John 14:23-29

Jesus said to his disciples:- “Anyone who loves me will be true to my word. God and I will love such a person, and we will come to that person, and make our abode with that one. The one who does not love me, does not keep my words. The word that you have heard is not mine, but the word of God who has sent me. These things I have spoken to you while yet dwelling with you, but the Advocate, the Holy Spirit whom God will send in my name, will teach you all things, and bring to your mind whatever I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you; not as the world gives, do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled or be afraid. You have heard me say to you, ‘I go away and I am coming to you.’ If you loved me, you would indeed rejoice that I am going back to God who made me. This loving God is greater than I. I have told you this before it comes to pass, that when it comes to pass, you may believe.”

Femily: The Spirit of Jesus Is Willing to Dwell With Us

In today’s wild world where people are fearful, and put their trust in guns, and are ready to kill one another, the Spirit of Jesus is still eager to come into our hearts. The Beloved Community, the New Jerusalem, is a possibility, even though there are terrorists dreaming up mayhem, and the fearful buying AK47′s to protect themselves. The New Jerusalem has twelve gates, which means the heart of the city is totally accessible. These gates may represent the various religious faiths (or even non-faiths) that help us to come closer to the compassion and kindness found in the heart of God. Jesus and God will love those persons who strive to be true to the message of love. We are advised to trust in the Holy Spirit which will bring to mind the Message.

The early disciples were advised to not require circumcision of the Gentiles, but today, circumcision is still with us. Its cruelty to young girls is still practiced. The Holy Spirit is urging us to be kinder to young women across the world who are undergoing such mutilation.

Do you think the Holy Spirit is urging all peoples to stop being so addicted to guns, and to trust in God? What other urgings do you think the Holy Spirit is inspiring in our minds?

May we have the peace in our hearts that Jesus spoke of when he was leaving his disciples.

For Communion: Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. You might meditate on gender equality and sexual abuse. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for wisdom to understand the message of Jesus. Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer.

Readings and Femily for Ascension Thursday – YearC, 2013,2017,2021,etc.

Reading 1 is from Acts 1:1-11

In the former book, O Theophilus, I spoke of all that Jesus did and taught from the beginning until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commandments through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. To them also he showed himself alive after his passion by many proofs, during forty days appearing to them and speaking of the realm of God. While eating with them, he charged them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise, “of which you have heard,” said he, “by my mouth; for John indeed baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days hence.” They therefore who had come together began to ask Jesus saying, “Will you at this time restore the Reign of David to Israel?” But Jesus said to them, “It is not for you to know the times or the seasons which have been fixed by the authority of God; but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you shall be witnesses for me in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and even to the very ends of the earth.” When he had said this he was lifted up before their eyes, and a cloud took him out of their sight. While they were gazing up to heaven as he went, behold two men stood by them in white garments and said to them, “People from Galilee, why do you stand looking up to heaven? This Jesus who has been taken from you up to heaven, shall come in the same way as you have seen him going up into heaven.”

Responsorial Psalm is #47:2-3, 6-7, 8-9

Response: God mounts the throne to shouts of joy; a blare of trumpets for our God.

All you peoples, clap your hands, shout to God with cries of gladness.

For the Awesome, the Most High, is the Great Ruler over all the earth.

Response: God mounts the throne to shouts of joy; a blare of trumpets for our God.

God mounts the throne amid shouts of joy; ascending amid trumpet blasts.

Sing praise to God; sing praises. Sing praise to our ruler; sing praises.

Response: God mounts the throne to shouts of joy; a blare of trumpets for our God.

For God is the Ruler of all the earth; sing hymns of praise.

God reigns over all the nations; God sits upon the throne of holiness.

Response: God mounts the throne to shouts of joy; a blare of trumpets for our God.

Reading 2 is from Ephesians 1:17-23

May the God of Compassion preached by Jesus grant you a Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation, the eyes of your mind being enlightened, so that you may know what is the hope of your calling, what the riches of the glory of your inheritance with the saints, and what the exceeding greatness of God’s power in us who believe. Its measure is the working of mighty power, which has been wrought in Christ in raising him from the dead and setting him at God’s right hand in heaven above every Principality and Power and Virtue and Domination— in short, above every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come. God made all things subject to the human God created, and made Jesus the head over all the church, which indeed is Jesus’ body. This fulfillment is ordered by the Great God who fills every part of the universe.

Gospel is from Luke 24:46-53

Jesus said to the Eleven: “Thus it is written; that the Christ should suffer and rise again from the dead on the third day; and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You yourselves are witnesses to these things. I send forth upon you God’s promise; but wait here in the city, until you are clothed with power from on high.” Now he led them out towards Bethany, and he lifted up his hands and blessed them. It came to pass, as he blessed them, that he parted from them and was carried up into heaven. They worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. And they were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. Amen.

Femily: God and the Humanbeing

Humanbeings come in many shapes, sizes, religious beliefs, genders, and colors. No matter what their differences, God wants them all completed and fulfilled. It seems that God is pleased when we bless each other, and do kind things for one another.

Wise people in the world have made a statement about human rights which fits in nicely with the idea of God encouraging the fulfillment of the human. What do the governments of the world think about the fulfillment of all humanbeings?

How does the U.S. Congress stand up for Human Rights? Some senators and representatives and other people who take sides without proper information on the issues, have put our country into sad controversy on health care and other similar subjects. What can we do to transform the world and make health care and healing available to all people? There are paid lobbyists in Washington from the health insurance companies, the gun lobbyists, the Israeli lobbyists, the oil lobbyists, the weapons lobbyists, who seem to have little concern for the needs of women and children or the environment of the earth. Then, in opposition, there are the unpaid non-governmental lobbyists who have trouble getting appointments with their congressional representatives, who want health care for all, and would like to make a safe world for their children and their grandchildren. What can the congress do to make our world a safe place for children? Sixty years ago the United Nations made up a document called the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. When this document is balanced against the demands of the paid lobbyists, we can soon see that what the lobbyists are opting for, does not respect the rights of the common people. What can Congress do to respect the human rights of all people?

Saying that everyone has the right to carry weapons that kill people is not good for our health, as those who work in emergency rooms can agree. A paid lobby to fund weapons for any foreign country is not good for the health of other countries or peoples. Large corporations, such as those who profit from oil or gold in foreign countries, should not be given special privileges that take away from the livelihood of the poor in those other countries. Health care corporations should not put profits ahead of the health of those persons they are supposedly insuring.

For a peaceful world, Congress should stop funding arms for Israel and other supposed allies. There is a high probability that exported arms can end up in the hands of terrorists or be dumped on innocent populations such as in Gaza. Lebanese are still being killed or maimed by the bomblets left over from the 34 day war between Israel and Hezbollah. Does respect for the rights of all human beings fit in with massive surges of young soldiers marching into foreign countries?

Then there is inside-the-country violence. A lot of domestic violence is caused by too much alcohol, like a lot of lung cancer was caused by too much smoking. Responsible TV programs should alert the general population to this health and social problem.

Women and children suffer from inside-the-family violence. Men often are sent to prison for crimes involving drugs and alcohol. Article XXV of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights seeks to correct injustices and help those who suffer from poor laws.

Article XXV. No person may be deprived of his liberty except in the cases and according to the procedures established by pre-existing law. No person may be deprived of liberty for nonfulfillment of obligations of a purely civil character. Every individual who has been deprived of his liberty has the right to have the legality of his detention ascertained without delay by a court, and the right to be tried without undue delay or, otherwise, to be released. He also has the right to humane treatment during the time he is in custody. (This is the right of protection from arbitrary arrest.) Women have been arrested and held for over twenty years because their husband committed a crime, and they didn’t know where he was.

Psalm 8:4 queries, “What is the human that you should spare a thought for her? What is the child of the human that God should care for her?” God seeks human fulfillment. Will God’s promise from on high finally fill the hearts of humankind?

For Communion: Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. You might meditate on gender equality and sexual abuse. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for wisdom to understand the message of Jesus. Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer.

Readings and Femily for the Seventh Sunday of Easter – YearC, 2013.2017,2021,etc.

Reading 1 is from Acts 7:55-60

Stephen, being full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God; and he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.” But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped up their ears and rushed upon him all together. They cast him out of the city and stoned him. The witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. While they were stoning Stephen, he prayed, “Jesus, receive my spirit.” Falling on his knees, he cried out with a loud voice saying, “Jesus, lay not this sin to their charge.” With these words, he fell asleep. And Saul approved his death.

Responsorial Psalm is #97:1-2,6-7,9

Response: Our God rules; the Most High rules over all the earth.

God reigns! Let the earth exult, let the many islands be glad.

God is surrounded by clouds and darkness; justice and right are the support of God’s throne.

Response: Our God rules; the Most High rules over all the earth.

The heavens proclaim God’s justice; all nations view God’s glory.

All who worship graven things and who glory in idols are put to confusion.

Response: Our God rules; the Most High rules over all the earth.

For you, Great God, are high above all the earth,

Great God, you are supremely exalted above all.

Response: Our God rules; the Most High rules over all the earth.

Reading 2 is from Revelation 22:12-14, 16-17, 20

A voice said, “Behold, I come quickly! My reward is with me, to render to each one according to his works. I am the Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end!” Blessed are they who wash their robes that they may have the right to the tree of life, and that they might enter the city by the gates. “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you these things concerning the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, the bright morning star.” The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come!.” Let the one who hears say, “Come!” Let the one who thirsts say, “Come!” And the one who wishes, let that one receive the water of life freely. The one who testifies to these things says, “It is true, I come quickly!” Amen, come, beloved Jesus! The grace of Jesus Christ be with us all. Amen.

Gospel is from John 17:20-26

Jesus looked up to heaven and prayed, “I do not pray for my disciples alone but also for those who through their word will believe in me, that all may be one, as you Most Holy One are in me, and I in you; that they also may be one in us, that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory you have given to me, I have given to them that they may be one even as we are one: I in them and you in me; that they may be perfected in unity, and that the world may know that you have sent me, and that you have loved them even as you have loved me. Great God,  I will that where I am they also whom you have given me, may be with me, in order that they may behold the glory you have given to me, because you have loved me before the creation of the world. Just God, the world has not known you, but I have known you, and these persons have believed that you have sent me. I have made known to them your name and will make it known, in order that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.”

Femily: I Will Not Leave You Orphans

One of the reasons that AIDS is such a terrible disease is because it leaves so many children as orphans. The United States has gotten some sort of control over this tragedy by use of medication, but multitudes of children in Africa have lost their parents and have been consigned to orphanages. Those who tend the children in orphanages do a marvelous job of feeding and caring for these bereaved children, but the children still reflect the sorrow of their condition. Their parents are not there to care for them, and the children’s faces reflect the sadness at their lack of parents. They have learned to line up, to do as they are told, to not express likes and dislikes, and to not speak up for choices. They know from experience that they cannot have their choice, and must make do with what they are given. They have learned not to hope for miracles. They are subdued and forgotten by the rest of the world.

In the Gospel Jesus is reassuring his followers that they are worthwhile before God, that God loves them, and will dwell with them. The disciples do not have to be traumatized, because Jesus is leaving them. They can still hope for a future for themselves and for the other people that they will be able to tell about Jesus.

Can we bring Jesus’ message of kindness to the AIDS orphans? Can we dare to give them hope for a future? Is our world a place of sadness and trauma? We must send out the message of compassion across the earth. We must find cures for the world’s diseases. We must stop the scourge of war. We must help the children to love one another, even as Jesus has loved us. That is a lifetime of work for each of us.

For Communion: Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. You might meditate on gender equality and sexual abuse. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others? How can I help to eliminate the scourge of AIDS? How can I stop the spread of weapons?” Ask for wisdom to understand the message of Jesus. Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer.

(At this point the Mass order changes back to Ordinary Time. We are reminded of God’s loving care and reintroduced to the Spirit of Wisdom. Trinity Sunday and Corpus Christi take precedence over the Sundays of Ordinary Time. The second section of Ordinary Time runs from the day after Pentecost to the Saturday before the First Sunday in Advent.)

Readings and Femily for Pentecost – YearC, May 19,2013; 2017,2021,etc.

Reading 1 is from Ezekiel 37:1-14

The hand of God was upon me, and carried me out in the Spirit, and set me down in the midst of a valley which was full of bones, and caused me to pass by them round about. And, behold, there were very many in the open valley; and, lo, they were very dry. And God said unto me, “Humankind, can these bones live?” And I answered, “O my God, thou knowest.” Again God said unto me, “Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, ‘O ye dry bones, hear the word of God.’” Thus saith Almighty God unto these bones, “Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live. And I will lay sinews upon you, and will bring up flesh upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and ye shall live; and ye shall know that I am God.” So I prophesied as I was commanded; and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to bone. And when I beheld, lo, the sinews and the flesh came up upon them, and the skin covered them above, but there was no breath in them. Then said God unto me, “Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, Humankind, and say to the wind, ‘Thus saith the Almighty God; Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.’” So I prophesied as God commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army. Then God said unto me, “Humankind, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Behold, they say, ‘Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost. We are cut off for our parts.’ Therefore prophesy and say unto them,  ‘Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel. And ye shall know that I am God, when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up out of your graves, and shall put my spirit in you, and ye shall live. I shall place you in your own land. Then shall ye know that I your God have spoken it, and performed it,’” saith Almighty God.

Responsorial Psalm is #104:1, 24, 29-31, 33-34

Response: Great God, send out your Spirit and renew the face of the earth.

Praise God, O my soul! How manifold are your works, my Creator!

In wisdom you have made all things. The earth is full of your creatures.

Response: Great God, send out your Spirit and renew the face of the earth.

If you hide your face, they are troubled. If you take away their breath, they die and turn to dust.

When you send forth your spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the earth.

Response: Great God, send out your Spirit and renew the face of the earth.

I will sing praise unto you as long as I live. I will sing praise as long as I have my being.

May my speech be agreeable to you. I will rejoice in your kindness.

Response: Great God, send out your Spirit and renew the face of the earth.

Reading 2 is from Romans 8:22-27

For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. For we are saved by hope; but hope that is seen is not hope; for what a person seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it. Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities, for we know not what we should pray for as we ought; but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. God that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit which maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

Gospel is from John 7:37-39

In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, “If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.” This spake Jesus of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive, for the Holy Spirit was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.

Femily: All Can Receive the Spirit

We seek to transform the present world society to an environmental and humanitarian model in which people care for the earth and others. People have different agendas. We observe that on the one hand, doctors and public servants invent technologies to preserve life. On the other hand, politicians and power mongers dream up wars. We have hope that political leaders will transform into people who preserve life and the environment. When universal spirituality is valued, and leaders are selfless servants of the people, the other social and environmental imaginings will automatically fall into place.

I believe that the major religions of the world can agree that kindness to humanbeings is better than using weapons to persecute and destroy. All religions advocate healing and sharing. They do this in their inward turning communities. It should not be so difficult to turn outward, and to heal and to share with the whole world. Agnostics and atheists, too, have belief in the goodness of the earth and in treating other people gently. The marvelous tool of the internet can be used to educate the world as to the ethical values that fulfill our expectations and grow Beloved Community across the earth. The modern concept of Restorative Justice with  compassion, responsibility, and an active respect of human rights reflects the 2000 year old Message of Jesus. Restorative Justice beliefs and human rights for all individuals are also found in the other major religions as shown by the quotes below:

Jewish:- Justice and justice alone shall be your aim, that you may have life.

Native American:- Give us the wisdom to teach our children to love, to respect, and to be kind to each other.

Buddhist:- May the powerless find power, and may people think of befriending one another.

Hindu:- God leads us from darkness to light … May the Vedic Law propagate peace all through the world.

Muslim:- Praise to the Lord of the Universe who has created us and made us into tribes and nations, that we may know each other, not that we may despise each other.

Bahai:- Be a lamp to those who walk in darkness, and a home to the stranger. Be eyes to the blind, and a guiding light to the feet of the erring. Be a breath of life to the body of humankind.

Christian:- The Spirit of Yahweh has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor, to proclaim liberty to captives, recovery of sight to the blind …

How can we persuade the human beings of today to try the philosophy of equality, compassion, and forgiveness proposed by Jesus? Can we recognize the differences between a philosophy of punishment and retaliation and one of restorative justice? Can we admit that all humankind has been created to receive the Holy Spirit?

For Communion: Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. You might meditate on gender equality and sexual abuse. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for wisdom to understand the message of Jesus. Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer.

Readings and Femily for Trinity Sunday – YearC, 2013,2017,2021,etc.

Reading 1 is from Proverbs 8:22-31

Thus says the Wisdom of God: The Creator possessed me, Wisdom, in the beginning, before anything else that was made. I was there from eternity long before the earth was made. The depths were not as yet, and I was already conceived; neither had the fountains of water as yet sprung up, or the mountains with their huge bulk, been established. Before the hills rose up, I, Wisdom, was brought forth. The earth had not yet been made, nor the rivers, nor the poles of the world. When the heavens were prepared, I was present. When the deep waters filled the depths, when the sky was established above, when the springs of water bubbled up, when the sea was encompassed within its boundaries, when the foundations of the earth were balanced, I, Wisdom, was present with the Creator, forming all things, rejoicing in every moment. I, Wisdom, was with the Creator and with what was created, at all times, and one of my delights is to be with human beings.

Responsorial Psalm is #8:4-9

Response: Great God, how wonderful is your name in all the earth.

When I see the heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars which you have established;

What is humanity that you are mindful of them, or their offspring, that you are concerned for them?

Response: Great God, how wonderful is your name in all the earth.

You have made human beings a little less than the angels, and crowned them with glory and honor.

You have given them power over the works of your hands.

Response: Great God, how wonderful is your name in all the earth.

You have placed all things under their feet; all sheep and oxen, the beasts of the field,

The birds of the air, the fish of the sea, and whatever moves on the paths of the sea.

Response: Great God, how wonderful is your name in all the earth.

Reading 2 is from Romans 5:1-5

We have seen that by faith we are judged righteous and at peace with God. It is by faith and through the teachings of Jesus that we have entered this state of grace in which we can exult as we look forward to God’s glory. And not only that, but we can exult in tribulations also, knowing that tribulation works out endurance, and endurance, perseverance, and perseverance, hope. And hope does not disappoint, because the love of God is poured forth in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

Gospel is from John 16:12-15

Jesus said to his disciples, “I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now. But when the Spirit of Truth comes, you will be led to the complete truth, since the Spirit will be speaking the Wisdom of God through your lips. You have learned from me about the love of God and about what is to come. The Spirit will glorify me, since what you are hearing and telling will be taken from my message of God’s love. Everything that the Creator is, is in my message; that is why I said: All that the Spirit inspires in you, will be taken from what is mine and what I have given to you.

Femily: The Spirit of Wisdom and of Truth

Have you seen the spirit of wisdom and of truth? Well, no, it’s not something you see; perhaps it’s something you feel? Well, maybe not. It might be something you know in your heart. You know when someone is speaking the truth. You surely know when you yourself are speaking the truth. Have you ever started talking and found yourself exaggerating? Then you know you have left the wide straight highway, and should make some course corrections.

Jesus Christ has announced the availability of the Spirit of Wisdom to humankind. We surely need such a Spirit! The  people gathered in the Upper Room at Pentecost felt a mighty spiritual wind, and saw each other as inspired speakers of the message of Jesus. For them, it was a mind blowing experience. How could they express it and write it down so the people of the future would know what they were talking about?

It was ‘as if” a mighty wind; it was ‘as if” tongues of fire. Spiritual imagery helps us to recognize reality. On the other hand, it might help us to promote fairy tales. ‘Tongues of fire’ can mean that the gathered people knew that their mouths and the mouths of their friends spoke truth inspired by the Spirit. In John 16:25, Jesus explains how the Spirit inspires a person to speak. Jesus says, “I speak to you in metaphor.” If we cannot see the Holy Spirit, perhaps it is possible to explain what it seems like.

Just what is Pentecost? It began as an ancient festival of the Jews called Shavuot, which commemorates God giving the Ten Commandments to Moses at Mount Sinai, fifty days after the Exodus from Egypt. This can be looked upon as the formal legal formation of the Jewish community. Today Pentecost is looked upon by some as the formation or birthday of the Christian church, where the Holy Spirit was given to Jesus’ disciples as Jesus had foretold, and the building of a community that would try to exist under the new law of love proposed by Jesus. What better way to form a new community than by having it bathed in the Holy Spirit, and having all the people speak the truth? What would governments be like if all the officials spoke the truth?

Reading 1 in Proverbs Chapter 8 is where we hear about the origins of the Holy Spirit. John is quoting Proverbs in John 17:24 as the Voice of Wisdom speaking, “Wisdom (the Word) was with God before the foundations of the world.” We hear the Spirit of Wisdom speaking through Jesus. “Through Wisdom all things came to be, not one thing had its being but through the Wisdom of God” (John 1:3).

In John 4:24 God and Spirit are tied together, “God is Spirit and those who worship God must worship in Spirit and in Truth.”

Let us pray that all of us will be led gently by the Spirit of Wisdom and of Truth,

For Communion: Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. You might meditate on gender equality and sexual abuse. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for wisdom to understand the message of Jesus. Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer.

Readings and Femily for The Feast of Corpus Christi – YearC, 2013,2017,2021,etc.

Reading 1 is from Genesis 14:18-20

Melchisedech, Ruler and Priest of Salem, brought forth bread and wine and blessed Abram saying, “Blessed be Abram by the most high God, who created heaven and earth, and blessed be the most high God, by whose protection your enemies are in your hands,” and Abram gave Melchisedech the customary tithes.

Responsorial Psalm is #110:1-4

Response: You are a priest forever in the line of Melchisedech.

The Creator said to the Ruler, “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool.”

The Creator will extend the scepter of your power from Zion. Rule in the midst of your enemies.

Response: You are a priest forever in the line of Melchisedech.

Your sovereignty came to you in the splendor of holiness on the day of your birth.

Before the morning star shining on the dew, have I begotten you.

Response: You are a priest forever in the line of Melchisedech.

The Creator has sworn and will not repent;—

You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchisedech.

Response: You are a priest forever in the line of Melchisedech.

Reading 2 is from I Corinthians 11:23-26

For I, Paul, have received from revelation that the Holy Jesus on the night on which he was betrayed took bread, and giving thanks, broke it and said, “This is my body which shall be given up for you; this do in remembrance of me.” In like manner also the cup, after he had supped, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For as often as you shall eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the death of Jesus until he returns.

Gospel: Luke 9:11-17

Jesus spoke to the crowds of the realm of God, and he healed those in need of a cure. Now the day began to decline; and the Twelve came up and said to him, “Send the crowds away, so that they may go into the villages and farms roundabout and find lodging and provisions, for we are in a deserted place here.” But Jesus said to them, “You yourselves give them some food.” And they said to him, “We have not more than five loaves and two fish, unless we are to go and buy food for all this crowd.” There were about five thousand people present. Then Jesus said to the disciples, “Make them recline on the ground in groups of fifty.” They did so, and made them all recline. Jesus took the five loaves and two fish, and looking up to heaven, blessed them and broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd. All ate and were satisfied; and what was left over to them was gathered up, twelve baskets of fragments.

Femily: Are the People Happy?

The people who are pictured in the Gospel of Luke reading, are happy. They listened to Jesus; if they needed healing, they were healed; they ate; and they were satisfied.

Was Jesus happy when he passed the bread and wine to his disciples at the Last Supper? He was happy doing the will of the Creator and spreading the message of love. Was Jesus happy at the crucifixion? He begged the Creator for forgiveness for those who were torturing him. They should be forgiven because they didn’t know what they were doing, as they were drunk. It’s not just that they were killing a person; it was that their minds were clouded. They dulled their minds in order to forget the horror of their task. Jesus as Nazarene did not drink decaying fruit or vegetables. Was it a good thing for Jesus to be crucified?

Was Abram a happy person when he was able to pay tithes to Melchisedech? We do not know much about Melchisedech; she may have been a priestess. That may have been her excuse for not going off to war with Abram’s battle-happy friends. Do you think Abram’s friends were happy that they had to inflict wounds on other people? Abram complains in the Bible story that he didn’t have a son. When given a son by his wife’s handmaid, he leaves Hagar and Ishmael to starve in the desert. Perhaps Abram thought that the handmaid had borne someone else’s child, and that Ishmael was really the son of some other man. It is hard to believe that if Abram really so longed for a son, that he would leave that child in the wilderness. Perhaps Abram had proof that neither Ismael or Isaac were his genetic offspring. Perhaps Isaac was fathered by one of the kings that Abram passed Sara over to, telling them she was Abraham’s sister. Read Genesis and then decide if Abram was a happy person.

Are the people of the United States a happy people? Would we enjoy lolling on a green and grassy hillside, listening to the word of God and being healed? Or are we only happy when we watch TV programs that fascinate us with stories featuring sex, drugs, alcohol, guns or violence?

Help us to be happy people. Help us to remember the life and message of Jesus Christ.

For Communion: Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. You might meditate on gender equality and sexual abuse. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I make them happy? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I make the people of the world happier? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for wisdom to understand the message of Jesus. Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer.

Readings and Femily for the 11th Sunday in Ordinary Time – YearC, 2013,2017,2021,etc.

Reading 1 is from 2 Samuel 12:7-10, 13

Nathan said to David: “Thus says the Great God: ‘I anointed you ruler over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul, and gave you your predecessor’s house and your predecessor’s wives into your bosom, and gave you rule over Israel and Judah; and if these things be too little, I shall add far greater things unto you. Why, therefor have you despised my word and done evil in my sight? You have killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and you have taken his wife to be your wife. You slew him with the sword of the children of Ammon. Therefore the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised me, and taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife. And David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Great God.” Then Nathan said to David, “The Great God has taken away your sin; you shall not die.”

Responsorial Psalm is #30:1-2, 5, 7, 11

Response: Great God, forgive the wrong I have done.

Blessed is the one whose sin is forgiven, whose iniquity is covered.

Blessed is the person who has no fault, and in whose spirit there is no guile.

Response: Great God, forgive the wrong I have done.

I confessed my sin to you, and I did not hide my guilt.

I said, “I confess my sin to the Great God.” And the Great God forgave my sin.

Response: Great God, forgive the wrong I have done.

You are my refuge. You will preserve me from distress.

You will encompass me with the joy of salvation.

Response: Great God, forgive the wrong I have done.

Be glad and rejoice, all you just people.

Be jubilant, all you upright in heart.

Response: Great God, forgive the wrong I have done.

Reading 2 is from Galatians 2:16, 19-21

We know that a person is not justified by the works of the Law, but by the faith preached by Jesus Christ. Hence we also believe that we are justified by the faith of Christ and not by the works of the Law; because by the works of the Law, no person will be justified. For I, through the Law have died to the Law that I may live to God. With Christ I am nailed to the cross. It is now no longer I that live, but Christ lives in me. And the life that I now live in the flesh, I live in the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself up for me. I do not cast away the grace of God. If justice is by the Law, then Christ died in vain.

Gospel is from Luke 7:36-50

One of the Pharisees asked Jesus to dine with him; so he went into the house of the Pharisee and reclined at table. And behold, a woman in the town who was seen as a sinner, upon learning that Jesus was at table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster jar of ointment, and standing behind him, at his feet, she began to bathe his feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head. She kissed his feet and anointed them with ointment. Now when the Pharisee who had invited Jesus saw it, he said, “This man, were he a prophet, would surely know what manner of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner.” Then Jesus answered and said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” He answered, “Master, speak.” “A certain money lender had two debtors; the one owed five hundred denari, the other fifty. As they had no means for paying, the lender forgave them both. Which of the debtors, therefore, will love the lender more?” Simon answered, “I suppose the one who was forgiven the most.” Jesus said to the Pharisee, “You have judged rightly.” Turning towards the woman, Jesus said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You gave me no water for my feet; but she has bathed my feet with tears, and has wiped them with the hair of her head. You gave me no kiss; but she, from the moment she entered, has not ceased to kiss my feet. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. Wherefore, I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven her, because she has loved much. But he to whom little is forgiven, loves little.” Jesus said to the woman, “Your sins are forgiven.” Then they who were at table with him began to say within themselves, “Who is this person who even forgives sins?” Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.”

Femily: Can You and I Forgive Sins?

Can we forgive those who rape women and kidnap children? Do we classify them as ‘animals’ and hunt them down and kill them? Yet even animals have rights. The “human rights” granted to every citizen, also apply to ALL sex offenders and flow from common law, constitutional law, and statutory law. These rights apply to every citizen, yet rights can be diminished, if a person adversely infringes on rights of another person.

Some rights are so fundamental that they need no law to define them. At birth a person is automatically entitled to a place in society, a place to live, a place to work to support themselves, a place to worship God according to their belief, and the right to marry, establish a home and bring up children. Absent a criminal act, and then only during the sentence for that act, these rights are fundamental and cannot be eliminated by anyone or any government. If someone disrespects you, can you remember that they are a human being? Can you keep in mind that they were created by God? Can you forgive them? If the offender is a beloved son or daughter, how does that affect you?

Our present social systems seem to believe that ALL sex offenders (society refuses to distinguish between former offenders and current offenders, or between lesser offenders and greater offenders) will recidivate (meaning former offenders will again infringe on the rights of another in the future), and because of that perception, society believes their rights, can or should be diminished today in the present. Some people feel that they have been disposed of and their rights set aside, but the Constitution prohibits that! There are some folks who want to diminish rights which exist for ALL sex offenders, those folks do not see any viable alternatives such as ankle bracelets, anti-testosterone treatment, or locator implants. Persons convicted of a CRIME have a circle of people around them, their Zone of Associations, their family (often with children), friends, business associates, and their daily contacts. Finally, when rights of persons PREVIOUSLY convicted of a CRIME are diminished, it effects not only that person, but every person in their Zone of Associations. Everyone suffers, including their children!

Can we forgive sins? Can we take a family member back into our family? Can we take an offending community member back into our community? How do we show this offender that we care for them and forgive them? What can be done to uplift a person’s life?

For Communion: Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. You might meditate on your ability to forgive the horrible things that people do to each other. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for wisdom to understand the message of Jesus. Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer.

Readings and Femily for the 12th Sunday in Ordinary Time – YearC, 2013,2017,2021,etc.

Reading 1 is from Zechariah 12:10-11

And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon him whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn, as one mourns for an only child, and shall be in bitterness, as one that is in bitterness for a firstborn. In that day shall there be a great mourning in Jerusalem, as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon.

Responsorial Psalm is #63:2-7

Response: My soul is thirsting for you, my God.

O God, you are my God; early will I seek you. My soul thirsts for you.

My flesh longs for you in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is.

Response: My soul is thirsting for you, my God.

Thirsting to see your power and glory, as I have seen you in the sanctuary.

Because thy loving kindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee.

Response: My soul is thirsting for you, my God.

Thus will I bless you while I live; I will lift up my hands in your name.

Because you have been my help; therefore in the shadow of your wings will I rejoice.

Response: My soul is thirsting for you, my God.

Reading 2 is from Galatians 3:26-29

Each one of you is a child of God by faith in Christ Jesus; for as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female; for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

Gospel is from Luke 9:18-24

And it came to pass, as Jesus was alone praying, his disciples were with him: and he asked them, saying, “Whom do the people say I am?” They answering said, “John the Baptist; but some say, Elias; and others say, that one of the old prophets is risen again.” He said unto them, “But whom do you say I am?” Peter answering said, “The Christ of God.” And he straightly charged them, and commanded them to tell no person that thing; saying, “The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be slain, and be raised the third day.” And he said to them all, “If any person will come after me, let them deny themselves, and take up their cross daily, and follow me. For whoever will save their life shall lose it; but whoever will lose their life for my sake, the same shall save it.”

Femily: Roots

Galatians 3 reminds us that if we are Christ’s, then we are Abraham’s seed. If you are Christ’s spiritual descendant, then you are also Abraham’s spiritual descendant. If you are a Christian, does it follow that you also have Jewish roots? It is also true that we are all one in Christ Jesus, that there is no spiritual difference between the men and the women, that we all are children of God. Those belonging to other denominations might conclude that God accepts other forms of worship. Those belonging to the Roman Catholic faith might conclude from all this that women have equal rights to the priesthood.

Women can deny themselves, take up their daily cross, and follow in the footsteps of Jesus. They can be compassionate like Jesus. They can pray over the sick and heal them. They can cheer up the downhearted. They are worthy of eternal life. They can preach the Gospel about eternal life to others. What service are the women doing for Christ and their fellow human beings if they keep silent, as in pseudo-Paul’s advice to Timothy (I Timothy 2:11-15).

For Communion: Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. You might meditate on your ability to forgive the horrible things that people do to each other. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for wisdom to understand the message of Jesus. Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer.

Readings and Femily for the 13th Sunday in Ordinary Time – YearC, 2013,2017,2021,etc.

Reading 1 is from I(III?) Kings 19:16, 19-21

You shall anoint Jehu the son of Namsi to be king over Israel; and Elisha, the son of Saphat, you shall anoint to be prophet. Elijah departing from thence, found Elisha ploughing with twelve yoke of oxen. When Elijah came up to him, he cast his mantle upon him, and he left his oxen and ran after Elijah, and said, “Let me, I beg you, kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow you.” And Elijah said, “Go, and return back, for that which was my part, I have done to you.” And returning back from Elijah, Elisha took a yoke of oxen and killed them and boiled the flesh with the plow of the oxen, and gave to the people and they ate. And rising up, he went away, and followed Elijah, and ministered to him.

Responsorial Psalm is #16(15):1-11

Response: You are my inheritance, Great God.

Preserve me, Oh God, for I flee unto thee;

I say to the Great God, “You are my portion and my cup, without you, I have no good.”

Response: You are my inheritance, Great God.

I bless the Great God who has given me understanding, because even in the night, my heart warns me.

I keep God always within my sight; God is at my right hand; I shall not be moved.

Response: You are my inheritance, Great God.

For this reason my heart is glad and my soul rejoices; moreover, my body will rest secure.

For you will not leave my soul in the abode of the dead, nor permit your holy one to see corruption.

Response: You are my inheritance, Great God.

You will show me the path of life;

The fullness of joys in your presence, and delights at your right hand forever.

Response: You are my inheritance, Great God.

Reading 2 is from Galatians 5:1, 13-18

Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. Brothers and sisters, you have been called unto liberty; only don’t use liberty for an occasion of the flesh, but by love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” But if you bite and devour one another, take heed that you are not consumed one of another. This I say then, “Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary, one to the other; so that you cannot do the things that you want. But if you are led of the Spirit, you are not under the law.”

Gospel is from Luke 9:51-62

And it came to pass, when the time was come that he should be received up, he steadfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem, and sent messengers before his face; and they went, and entered into a village of the Samaritans, to make ready for him. And they did not receive him, because his face was as though he would go to Jerusalem. When his disciples, James and John, saw this, they said, “Rabbi, shall we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did?” But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, “You do not know what manner of spirit you are of. For the Servant of Humanity is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them.” And they went to another village. And it came to pass, that, as they went in the way, a certain person said unto him, “Rabbi, I will follow you wherever you go. And Jesus said unto him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Servant of Humanity has no place to lay their head.” And Jesus said unto another, “Follow me.” But the other said, “Rabbi, suffer me first to go and bury my parents.” Jesus said unto him, “Let the dead bury their dead; but you go and preach the realm of God.” Another also said, “Rabbi, I will follow you; but let me first go bid them farewell, who are at home at my house.” And Jesus said unto him, “No person, having put a hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the realm of God.”

Femily: What qualifies any person to be a disciple of Jesus? Among the teachings of the Buddha to the world, one of the foremost was “Ahimsa” (not causing harm to anyone). Non-violence is not merely refraining from inflicting injuries on others with one’s limbs or weapons. Non-violence has to be practised with purity of mind, tongue, and body. There should be no ill feelings, which is a form of violence. To cause harm to others through the body is also violence (Himsa). No one should be harmed even by speech. The speech should be sweet, pleasing and wholesome. All actions should be helpful to others. Jesus lays out the Golden Rule, “You shalt love your neighbor as thyself.” All the religions have similar sayings. Those who practice the Golden Rule must see the similarities of the Rule with the Human Rights of the United Nations.

Consider the Golden Rule. It has been acknowledged that the Golden Rule exists in all the great religions of the world. When we go against the Golden Rule, we will surely end up in an economic downspin. Examples of the Golden Rule are, from the following link, <http://www.scarboromissions.ca/> …..

Baha’i Faith: “Ascribe not to any soul that which thou wouldst not have ascribed to thee, and say not that which thou doest not.” “Blessed is he who preferreth his brother before himself.”

Baha’u’llah: “And if thine eyes be turned towards justice, choose thou for thy neighbor that which thou choose for thyself.” (Epistle to the Son of the Wolf).

Brahmanism: “This is the sum of Dharma [duty]: Do naught unto others which would cause you pain if done to you”. (Mahabharata, 5:1517).

Buddhism: “…a state that is not pleasing or delightful to me, how could I inflict that upon another?” (Samyutta Nikaya v. 353).  “Hurt not others in ways that you yourself would find hurtful.” (Udana-Varga 5:18).

Christianity: “Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.” (Matthew 7:12, King James Version).

Confucianism: “Do not do to others what you do not want them to do to you.” (Analects 15:23). “Try your best to treat others as you would wish to be treated yourself, and you will find that this is the shortest way to benevolence.” (Mencius VII.A.4).

Ancient Egyptian: “Do for one who may do for you, that you may cause him thus to do.” (The Tale of the Eloquent Peasant, 109 – 110 Translated by R.B. Parkinson).

Hinduism: “This is the sum of duty: do not do to others what would cause pain if done to you.” (Mahabharata 5:1517).

Humanism: “(5) Humanists acknowledge human interdependence, the need for mutual respect and the kinship of all humanity.” “(11) Humanists affirm that individual and social problems can only be resolved by means of human reason, intelligent effort, critical thinking joined with compassion and a spirit of empathy for all living beings.”

“Don’t do things you wouldn’t want to have done to you.” (British Humanist Society).

Islam: “None of you [truly] believes until he wishes for his brother what he wishes for himself.” (Number 13 of Imam Al-Nawawi’s Forty Hadiths).

Jainism: “Therefore, neither does he [a sage] cause violence to others nor does he make others do so.” (Acarangasutra 5.101-2).  “In happiness and suffering, in joy and grief, we should regard all creatures as we regard our own self.” (Lord Mahavira, 24th Tirthankara) “A man should wander about treating all creatures as he himself would be treated.” (Sutrakritanga 1.11.33).

Judaism: “…thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.” (Leviticus 19:18). “What is hateful to you, do not to your fellow man. This is the law: all the rest is commentary.” (Talmud, Shabbat 31a) “And what you hate, do not do to any one.” (Tobit 4:15).

Native American Spirituality: “Respect for all life is the foundation.” (The Great Law of Peace).

“All things are our relatives; what we do to everything, we do to ourselves. All is really One.” (Black Elk).

“Do not wrong or hate your neighbor. For it is not he who you wrong, but yourself.” (Pima proverb).

Roman Pagan Religion: “The law imprinted on the hearts of all men is to love the members of society as themselves.”

Shinto: “The heart of the person before you is a mirror. See there your own form; …” “Be charitable to all beings; love is the representative of God.” (Ko-ji-ki Hachiman Kasuga).

Sikhism: “Compassion, mercy, and religion are the support of the entire world.” (Japji Sahib), “Don’t create enmity with anyone as God is within everyone.” (Guru Arjan Devji 259).

Taoism: “Regard your neighbor’s gain as your own gain, and your neighbor’s loss as your own loss.” (T’ai Shang Kan Ying P’ien).

Unitarian: “The inherent worth and dignity of every person … Justice, equity and compassion in human relations…. The goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all. … We affirm and promote respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.” (Unitarian principles).

Wicca: “An it harm no one, do what thou wilt.”

Yoruba: (Nigeria): “One going to take a pointed stick to pinch a baby bird should first try it on himself to feel how it hurts.”

Zoroastrianism: “That nature alone is good which refrains from doing unto another whatsoever is not good for itself.” (Dadistan-i-Dinik 94:5) “Whatever is disagreeable to yourself do not do unto others.” (Shayast-na-Shayast 13:29).

We often think of Jesus as being the originator of the Golden Rule, but consider the following quotes from Socrates and Plato 500 years earlier:

Socrates: “Do not do to others that which would anger you if others did it to you.” (Greece; 5th century BCE).

Plato: “May I do to others as I would that they should do unto me.” (Greece; 4th century BCE).

How do we know that the sayings of the Golden Rule don’t go back through Atlantis? The Queen of Mu may have been the first to proclaim the Golden Rule to her fellow citizens. The Rule could have come out of Africa with homo sapiens. Because the earth was born of the Good Spirit, the Rule may be interpenetrating throughout all the earth. Perhaps it was unspoken, but followed even among the animals. We must show concern for all that exists in order to truly exist ourselves.

For Communion: Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. You might meditate on your ability to forgive the horrible things that people do to each other. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for wisdom to understand the message of Jesus. Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer.

Readings and Femily for the 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time – YearC, 2013,2017,2021,etc.

Reading 1 is from Isaiah 66:10-14

Rejoice with Jerusalem and be glad with her, all you who love her! Rejoice for joy with her, those of you who have been mourning, for you shall suck and be filled by her consoling breasts, her milk will flow out to you with delights from the abundance of her glory. For thus says our God, “I will bring upon her as it were a river of peace, and as an overflowing torrent, the glory of the Gentiles, which you shall suck; you shall be carried gently at the breast, and upon their knees they shall caress you. As one whom the mother caresses, so will I comfort you, and you shall be comforted in Jerusalem. When you see this comforting, your heart shall rejoice, and your bones shall flourish like an herb, and the hand of God shall be revealed to those who serve God, and God shall turn back their enemies.

Responsorial Psalm is #66:1-7, 16, 20

Response: Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.

Shout joyfully to God, all you on earth. Sing the glory of God’s name.

Render high praise to Yahweh! Say unto Yahweh, “How wonderful are your works!”

Response: Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.

Let all the earth adore you and sing to you. Let them sing your name!

Come and see the works of Yahweh who has done such wonders for humankind.

Response: Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.

Yahweh turned the sea into dry land, and the people crossed the water on foot.

Therefore we will rejoice before Yahweh. Yahweh rules forever.

Response: Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.

Yahweh sees all the nations. Let not the rebellious extol themselves.

Come and hear, all you who fear Yahweh, and I will tell you all the marvels Yahweh has done for my soul.

Response: Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.

Reading 2 is from Galatians 6:6, 14-18

Let those who are given glorious and wise words share their wisdom with others. As for me, God forbid that I should glory save in the cross of Our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom the world is crucified to me, and I to the world. For in Christ Jesus, neither circumcision or uncircumcision is important, but a new creation of spirit is what matters; and whoever understands this, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon all the chosen of God. Henceforth, let no person give me trouble, for I carry in myself the spirit of Jesus. May the spirit of Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

Gospel is from Luke 10:1-9

Now after this Jesus appointed seventy-two, and sent them forth two by two before him, into every town and place where he was about to go. He said to them, “The harvest indeed is great, but the laborers are few. Pray therefore that the Chief Harvester will send forth laborers unto this harvest. Go! I send you forth as lambs in the midst of wolves. Carry neither purse, nor wallet, nor sandals, and chat with no one on the way. Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace be on this house!’ If a peaceful person is there, your peace will rest on that one. If not, your peace will return to you. Remain in the same house, eating and drinking what is put before you; for a laborer deserves wages. Do not go from house to house. Whatever town you enter, and they receive you, eat what is set before you, cure the sick who are there, and say to them, ‘The Realm of God has come near you.’”

Femily: The Realm of God

In the Gospel reading, Jesus is giving instructions to his disciples to help them on their missionary journeys. They are to travel lightly and not get into arguments with strangers. They are to travel two together. If you travel by yourself, one other person can overcome you, but if you have a friend with you, you are more able to cope with both physical and mental confrontations. You are to tell those who come to you for healing, “The Realm of God is near.” You show this by being loving and kind, and by listening to their problems.

Other religions can also represent the Realm of God by being loving and kind. The Shinto Ko-ji-ki Hachiman Kasuga tells followers, “The heart of the person before you is a mirror. See there your own form; …” “Be charitable to all beings; love is the representative of God.”

In Sikhism: “Compassion, mercy, and religion are the support of the entire world.” (from Japji Sahib), “Don’t create enmity with anyone as God is within everyone.” (from Guru Arjan Devji 259).

Those who carry in their hearts the spirit of Jesus can be the healing and kindness of Jesus to others.

For Communion: Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. You might meditate on your ability to forgive the horrible things that people do to each other. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for wisdom to understand the message of Jesus. Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer.

Readings and Femily for the 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time – YearC, 2013,2017,2021,etc.

Reading 1 is from Deuteronomy 30:10-14

Moses said to the people, “If only you heed the voice of God and keep God’s commandments and statutes that are written in the Book of the Law, and return to God with all your heart, and with all your soul. This commandment, that I command you this day is not above you, nor far off from you. Nor is it in heaven that you should say :— Which of us is able to go up to heaven and bring it down, that we may hear it and do deeds to fulfill it? Nor is it beyond the sea that you might excuse yourself and say:— Which of us can cross the sea and bring it unto us, that we may hear and do that which is commanded? But the word is very near to you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may do what is commanded.

Responsorial Psalm is #69:14, 17, 30-37

Response: Turn to the Good Spirit in your need and you will live.

My prayer is unto you, my God. Hear me, O God, for you are kind and merciful.

Look upon me according to the abundance of your mercy.

Response: Turn to the Good Spirit in your need and you will live.

I will praise the name of God in song.

I will glorify God with thanksgiving.

Response: Turn to the Good Spirit in your need and you will live.

See, O humble ones, and let us rejoice.

Let your hearts live again, you who seek God.

Response: Turn to the Good Spirit in your need and you will live.

God will rebuild the cities of Zion,

And the seed of God’s servants shall inherit it.

Response: Turn to the Good Spirit in your need and you will live.

Reading 2 is from Colossians 1:15-20

In the Spirit of Christ Jesus we see the reflection of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creatures. In him were created all things in heaven and on earth, things visible and invisible, whether thrones, dominations, principalities, or powers. All things have been created through him and unto him. He is before all creatures, and in him all things hold together. Christ Jesus is the head of his body, the church; he who is the first born from the dead, that in all things he may have the first place. For it has pleased God the Father that in Christ all God’s fullness should dwell, and that through Christ, God should reconcile to himself all things, whether on the earth or in the heavens, making peace through the blood of his cross.

Gospel is from Luke 10:25-37

Behold, a certain lawyer got up to test him, saying, “Master, what must I do to gain eternal life?” But he said to him, “What is written in the Law? What do you read?” He answered and said, “Thou shalt love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind. And your neighbor as yourself.” Jesus said to him, “You have answered rightly. Do this and you shall live.” But he, wishing to justify himself said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” Jesus answered, “A certain man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell in with robbers who, after stripping him and beating him went their way, leaving him half dead. But, as it happened, a certain priest was going down the same way, and when he saw him, he passed by. And likewise, a Levite, when he was near the place and saw him, passed by. But a certain Samaritan as he journeyed came upon him, and seeing him was moved with compassion. He went up to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Setting him on his own beast, he brought him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper and said, “Take care of him until I come again; and whatever more you spend, on my way back, I will repay you. Which of these three was neighbor to the one who fell among the robbers?” And he said, “He who took pity on him.” Jesus said, “Go, and do likewise.”

Femily: Jesus, as Displaying the Characteristics of God

There are heavy problems in these readings. The first reading advises the people to keep God’s commandments and statues. The second reading leads us to believe that Jesus was with God before the heavens were created, as spoken of about the Spirit of Wisdom. We are asked to see Jesus as both physical man and spiritual being. The writer of Colossians may be describing the Spirit of Wisdom as being from God and also with Jesus in the Christian churches.

The Gospel reading relates how to gain eternal life, but does not define eternal life.

God’s Commandments in the Bible are a series of legal and religious advisories. The Ten Commandments given by Moses are fairly straightforward, but other proposals in the Books of Deuteronomy or Leviticus advise killing of relatives if they work on the Sabbath or take God’s name in vain.

One such regulation is in Leviticus 19, described by a web-writer.­— “My uncle has a farm. He violates Lev.19:19 by planting two different crops in the same field, as does his wife by wearing garments made of two different kinds of thread (cotton/polyester blend). He also tends to curse and blaspheme a lot. Is it really necessary that we go to all the trouble of getting the whole town together to stone them? (Lev. 24:10-16). Couldn’t we just burn them to death at a private family affair, like we do with people who sleep with their in-laws? (Lev. 20:14)” How do we know that the commandments really come from God or from a self-righteous fundamentalist?

On the second reading, how do we distinguish between the physical Jesus and the Holy Spirit? If the Holy Spirit and God and Jesus make up the Holy Trinity, which cannot be explained satisfactorily, who is able to explain what Paul is trying to put into words?

In the Gospel we hear the parable of the man caught by thieves. There are many possible interpretations of this, but the answer to most formidable situations is to behave like the Good Samaritan and show mercy and kindness. Let us follow the advice given by Christ in the Gospel. Let us “GO and do likewise!”

In which of these readings do we find the character of God? Some of the biblical commandments give us a picture of God, as angry and judgmental. Can we think of the Holy Spirit with God creating the endless regions of the universe, or do we get lost thinking of supernova and blackholes? Isn’t the easiest way to think of God to meditate on the person Jesus as displaying love, caring, and kindness in God’s creation?

For Communion: Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. You might meditate on your ability to forgive the horrible things that people do to each other. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for wisdom to understand the message of Jesus. Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer.

Readings and Femily for the 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time – YearC, 2013; 2017,2021,etc.

Reading 1 is from Genesis 18:1-10

God appeared to Abraham at the terebinth of Mamre, as he sat in the entrance of his tent, while the day was growing hot. When Abraham lifted up his eyes, there appeared to him three men standing near him: and as soon as he saw them he ran from the door of his tent to meet them, and adored down to the ground. And he said, “Holy persons, if I have found favor in your sight, pass not away from your servant; but I will fetch a little water, and wash your feet, and you can rest yourselves under a tree. I will set by you a morsel of bread to strengthen your heart. Afterwards you shall pass on; for therefore you have come aside to visit your servant.” And they said, “Do as you have spoken.” Abraham made haste into the tent and told Sarah, and said to her, “Make haste, temper together three measures of flour, and make cakes upon the hearth. He himself ran to the herd, and took from thence a calf very tender and good, and gave it to a young man who made haste and boiled it. He took also butter and milk, and the boiled calf, and set them before the visitors. But he stood by them under the tree. When they had eaten, they said to him, “Where is your wife Sarah?” Abraham answered, “She is in the tent.” The visitor said to him,”I will return and come again this next year, and by that time your wife Sarah will have a son.”

Responsorial Psalm is #15:2-5

Response: The one who does justice will live in God’s presence;

The one who walks blamelessly and does justice;

Who thinks the truth in the heart and slanders not with the tongue.

Response: The one who does justice will live in God’s presence;

Who does no evil to the neighbor; nor casts reproach upon comrades;

Who holds the sinner in contempt, and honors those who fear God.

Response: The one who does justice will live in God’s presence;

Who does not put money out to usury; nor take bribes against the innocent.

The person who does these things shall not be moved forever.

Response: The one who does justice will live in God’s presence.

Reading 2 is from Colossians 1:24-28

I rejoice now in the sufferings I bear for your sake; and what is lacking of the sufferings of Christ. I fill up sufferings in my flesh for his body which is the church, whose minister I have become in virtue of the office which God has given me in your regard. For I am to preach the word of God fully — the mystery which has been hidden for ages and generations, but now is clearly shown to the saints. To them God willed to make known, how rich in glory is this mystery among the Gentiles — Christ in you, your hope of glory! Him we preach, admonishing every person in all wisdom, that we may present every person perfect in Christ Jesus.

Gospel is from Luke 10:38-42

Jesus entered a village where a woman named Martha welcomed him to her home. She had a sister named Mary, who also seated herself at Jesus’ feet, and listened to his word. But Martha was busy about much serving. She came up to Jesus and said, “Sir, is it no concern of yours that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her therefore to help me.” But Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things; and yet only one thing is needful. Mary has chosen the best part, and it shall not be taken away from her.”

Femily: Bridging Cultures

Culture in Palestine about 30 AD expected women to serve in the kitchen. Culture in the Catholic Church today still thinks that woman’s place is not on the altar, unless they are doing a cleanup job. Abraham had several women who bore him children. Brigham Young of the Mormons copied Abraham and was the father of over 50 children. Sometimes women get the impression that they are good for nothing but to bring some man’s children into the world.

Is there any possibility of having women treated as equals? If the Pope saw fit to recognize the equality of women on the world scene, then the Muslims, too, might think twice about how they treated their women. The Africans might acknowledge the right of women to own property. Women might stop being traded as sex objects in the U.S. and Israel. Women in prison might be spared the torture of rape. At some point women might be treated as deserving of human rights. They might be given equal rights to fulfillment, as well as the men.

For Communion: Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. You might meditate on your ability to forgive the horrible things that people do to each other. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for wisdom to understand the message of Jesus. Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer. You can make an email response to these readings, and you can make prayer requests.

Readings and Femily for the 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time – YearC, 2013,2017,2021,etc.

Reading 1 is from Genesis 18:20-32

God said, “The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is multiplied, and their sin has become exceedingly grievous. I must go down and see whether their actions fully correspond to the outcry against them that comes to me, or whether it be not so, that I might know. And they turned themselves from thence, and went their way to Sodom. But Abraham as yet stood before God. Drawing near, Abraham said, “Will you destroy the just with the wicked? If there be fifty just men in the city, shall they perish with the unjust? Will you not spare that place for the sake of fifty just ones, if they are there? Far be it from you to do such a thing as to slay the just with the wicked! This is not seemly for one who is the judge of all the earth. And God said, “If I find fifty just men in the city of Sodom, I will spare the whole place for their sake.” Abraham answered, “Seeing I have begun protesting to God, I will continue, even though I am dust and ashes. What if there are forty-five just persons? Will you destroy the whole city?” And God said, “I will not destroy it if I find forty-five.” Again Abraham said, “What if there are forty just persons? What will you do?” God said, “I will not destroy it for the sake of the forty.” Abraham continued, “Be not angry, I beseech you, if I speak. What if thirty shall be found there?” God answered, “I will not do it if I find thirty there.” Abraham said, “Seeing I have begun, I will speak again. What if there are twenty to be found there?” God said, “I will not destroy it for the sake of twenty.” I beseech you, do not be angry if I speak just once more,” said Abraham. “What if ten should be found there?” God replied, “I will not destroy it for the sake of the ten.”

Responsorial Psalm is #138:1-3, 6-8

Response: Loving God, on the day I called for help you answered me.

I will give thanks unto you with all my heart.

In the presence of the angels, I will sing your praise.

Response: Loving God, on the day I called for help you answered me.

When I cried to you, you heard me, and built up strength in my soul.

Your goodness is everlasting. Forsake not the work of your hands.

Response: Loving God, on the day I called for help you answered me.

Truly, God is exalted, and regards the humble,

But the proud are known from afar.

Response: Loving God, on the day I called for help you answered me.

If I walk in the midst of tribulation, you are with me.

Against the wrath of my enemies, your right hand preserves me.

Response: Loving God, on the day I called for help you answered me.

Reading 2 is from Colossians 2:12-14

See to it that no one deceives you by philosophy or vain deceiving statements, according to their cultures or the materialistic values of the world, and not according to the compassion to be found in Jesus. For you were buried with him in baptism, and in him also rose again through faith in the working of God who raised him from the dead. And when you were dead by reason of your sins, and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God brought you to new life along with Jesus, forgiving you all your sins, cancelling the decree against us, which was hostile to us.

Gospel is from Luke 11:1-13

One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he had finished, one of his disciples asked him, “Master, teach us to pray as John taught his disciples.” Jesus said to them, “When you pray, say:—’Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. Give us this day our daily bread. Forgive us our sins for we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation.’” Then Jesus said to them, “Which of you having a friend will go to that person in the middle of the night and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves for a friend of mine has just come to me from a journey, and I have nothing to set before him.’ The friend may answer and say, ‘Do not disturb me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed. I cannot get up and give to you.’ I say to you, although he will not get up and give to him because he is his friend, yet because he is persistent, he will get up and give him all that he needs. I say to you, ‘Ask and it shall be given you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For everyone who asks, receives; and he who seeks, finds; and to him who knocks, it shall be opened. But if one of you asks his father for a loaf, will he hand him a stone? If he asks for a fish, will he hand him a serpent? Therefore if you, ignorant as you are, know how to give good gifts to your children, won’t the Heavenly Spirit of Love give of the Holy Spirit to those who ask?’”

Femily: The Power of Persistent Prayer

In the Gospel passage, we are told to address God as FATHER, but Jesus never said the word FATHER, as he spoke Aramaic or Greek. The abba type word that Jesus used may have been a word that could be translated as BELOVED ANCESTOR or perhaps BELOVED and RESPECTED CREATOR.

The Aramaic Prayer of Jesus starts off Abwoon d’bwashmaya, Nethqadash shmakh, which is often translated in English as “Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be your name.” We are trained by our patriarchal culture to think of God as Father, not as “Beloved and Respected Creator”. The complete Syrian Aramaic version of the LORD’S PRAYER is by Neil Douglas-Klotz: Abwoon d’bwashmaya, Nethqadash shmakh, Teytey malkuthakh. Nehwey tzevyanach aykanna d’bwashmaya aph b’arha. Hawvlan lachma d’sunqanan yaomana.Washboqlan khaubayn (wakhtahayn) aykana daph khnan shbwoqan l’khayyabayn. Wela tahlan l’nesyuna. Ela patzan min bisha. Metol dilakhie malkutha wahayla wateshbukhta l’ahlam almin. Ameyn.

The pronoun TA is a Chinese word that means either HE or SHE, so we can speak of God as TA. That way people are not trained to think of God as HE, rather than SHE. They can think of God as a Spiritual Quantity rather than as a sexual being. Such an idea of God would allow for services by female priests as well as male priests. “With God there is neither male or female, slave or free, black or white, Gentile or Jew, …” (Galatians 3:28). “We are all heirs of the promise made to Abraham” (the spiritual offspring of Abraham). (Galatians 3:29) God, as Beloved Parent, will not hand us serpents or stones. TA does what is good for us from generation to generation.

It is good to pray and to think about the compassionate Spiritual Being (or Energy) who hears us and loves us.

For Communion: Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. You might meditate on your ability to forgive the horrible things that people do to each other. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for wisdom to understand the message of Jesus. Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer.

Readings and Femily for the 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time – YearC, 2013; 2017,2021,etc.

Reading 1 is from Ecclesiastes 1:2 and 2:21-23

Vanity of vanities,- said the Preacher: -Vanity of vanities; all is vanity. What does a person retain of all the labor that is done under the sun? Suppose a person labors using wisdom and knowledge and carefulness, and then leaves the goods gotten to an idler; that also is vanity and a great evil. For what profit shall a person have of all the labor and vexation of spirit which has filled many days with torment under the sun? All the days are full of sorrows and miseries; even in the night there is no rest for the mind. Is not this also vanity and vexation of spirit?

Responsorial Psalm is #95:1-2, 6-9

Response: If today you hear God’s voice, harden not your hearts.

Come let us sing joyfully to God! Let us lift up our voices to the Rock of our Salvation!

Let us greet God with thanksgiving. Let us joyfully sing Psalms to God.

Response: If today you hear God’s voice, harden not your hearts.

Come let us bow down in worship; let us kneel before the Creator who made us all.

We are the people being shepherded, the flock being guided.

Response: If today you hear God’s voice, harden not your hearts.

O, that today we would hear God’s voice, and not harden our hearts as at Meriba, or as at Massa in the desert, Where the people tempted and tried God, although they had seen God’s mighty works.

Response: If today you hear God’s voice, harden not your hearts.

Reading 2 is from Colossians 3:1-5, 8-11

Therefore if you have been born again with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Be mindful of the things that are above, not the things that are on earth. After all, it is like you have died and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ your light shall appear, then you too will appear with him in glory. Therefore, put to death whatever in your nature is rooted to earth, such as anger, wrath, abusive language, evil desires, and lust which is akin to idolatry. Do not lie to one another. Strip off your old person and deeds, and put on the new self that is being renewed into a more perfect knowledge of the Creator. With Christ there is not Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, Barbarian or Scythian, slave or freeman; but Christ is all things and in all.

Gospel is from Luke 12:13-21

Someone in the crowd said to Jesus, “Tell my brother to give me my share of our inheritance.” Jesus said to him, “Friend, who has set me up as your judge or arbiter?” Then he said to the crowd, “Avoid greed in all its forms. A person may be wealthy, but possessions do not guarantee him life.” Then Jesus spoke a parable to them saying, “The land of a certain rich man brought forth abundant crops. And he began to take thought within himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, for I have no room to store all my crops?’ And he said, ‘I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store up all my grain and my goods. I will say to my soul:—  ‘Soul, you have many good things laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, be merry.’ But God said to him, ‘You fool! This night they will demand your soul of you; then who will own the things that you have provided for yourself?’ This is what happens to the one who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich in regards to God.’”

Femily: Ecumenism

As the various religions come closer together, we find that we have much in common. We have many ways to state the Golden Rule. The Catholic Church has recently put out a new missal for English readers. The Catholic authorities hope that this missal will reflect the Latin version of the prayers more closely. A letter to the editor of the National Catholic Reporter July 2010 reads as follows:— “As a United Methodist pastor, I share my disappointment over the New English missal translation. Many Catholics may not know how influential their post-Vatican II lectionary and worship work have been in the mainline Protestant world. Our three-year lectionaries follow the example and overall format of the Catholic Lectionary. For over twenty years our churches have been at one in our major prayers. After Advent 2011 this will no longer be so, which is sad.” (Bill Olewiler)

Language can be a very important factor in interpreting God’s word to the people. Could I say, “Language can be a very important factor in interpreting God’s word to her people”? Could I say, “Language can be a very important factor in interpreting God’s word to the people all over the world”? Of these last three statements, which do you prefer?

When you consider that the Catholic Lectionary and the Old and New Testaments have come through many translations, you may agree that a person has to be careful about the words that they see written down on God’s behalf.

Even thoughts about God’s word can be misleading, as we are a diverse people. Like the man in the Gospel story, we may forget about our own mortality, and forget to share our goods with the beggar at the door. We can even forget the needs of members of our own family.

We can think carefully about what God is saying to us. We can strive to be kind to our neighbor. But we can still end up misunderstanding God completely, and do terrorist actions, and think that we are doing God’s will.

For Communion: Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. You might meditate on your ability to forgive the horrible things that people do to each other. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for wisdom to understand the message of Jesus. Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer.

Readings and Femily for the 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time – YearC, 2013; 2017,2021,etc.

Reading 1 is from Wisdom 18:6-9

That night was known beforehand by our ancestors, who knew what oaths they had trusted to, that they might be of better courage. So your people received the salvation of the just, and destruction of the unjust. For as you punished the adversaries, so you did also encourage and glorify us. For the just children of good people were offering sacrifice secretly, and they unanimously ordered a law of justice.

Responsorial Psalm is #33:1, 12, 18-19, 20-22

Response: Happy the people that God has chosen to love and protect.

Exult, you just, in Yahweh; praise from the just is fitting.

Happy the nation who serves Yahweh. Happy the people Yahweh has chosen.

Response: Happy the people that God has chosen to love and protect.

Behold, the eyes of Yahweh are on the ones who worship, on those who hope for grace,

That God may deliver their souls from death, and feed them when they are hungry.

Response: Happy the people that God has chosen to love and protect.

Our souls wait for Yahweh who is our helper and our shield.

In Yahweh our hearts rejoice; we trust in Yahweh’s holy name.

Response: Happy the people that God has chosen to love and protect.

Our soul waits for Yahweh who is our help and our shield.

May your kindness, O Yahweh, be upon us, who have put our trust in you.

Response: Happy the people that God has chosen to love and protect.

Reading 2 is from Hebrews 11:1-2, 8-12

Faith is the substance of things to be hoped for, the evidence of things that are not seen; for by faith the people of old were given testimony from God. By faith the person Abraham obeyed by going out into a place which he was to receive as an inheritance. He went out not knowing where he would end up. By faith he dwelt in the Land of Promise as in a foreign land, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the co-heirs of the same promise, for he was looking for a city with fixed foundations, whose builder and maker is God. By faith Sara who was barren, received power for the conception of a child when she was past that time of life, because she believed that the God who had promised was faithful. Therefore there sprang from one person who was as good as dead, issue that was like the stars in heaven in number and as innumerable as the sand that is by the seashore.

Gospel is from Luke 12:35-40

“Let your belts be fastened about your waists, and your lamps be burning and at-the-ready, and you yourselves like people waiting for their employer’s return from a celebration, so that when the employer returns and knocks, they may straightway open the door. Blessed are those servants whom the employer shall find watching and ready for the homecoming. Amen, I say to you, the employer will gird herself and will make them recline at table, and she will serve them herself. And if she comes in the second watch, or even in the third, and finds them so, blessed are those servants! But be assured of this, that if the householder had known at what hour the thief was coming, she would certainly have watched and not have let her house be broken into. You also must be ready, because at an hour when you think not, the Servant of Humanity is coming.”

Femily: On Avatars

“At an hour when you think not, the Servant of Humanity will come.” How will the Servant of Humanity come? A Servant of Humanity might be interpreted as any person who comes bringing God’s message. Is it necessary that they return as an enfleshed male? Is there a chance that this messenger might be a woman?

The readings assure us that God was present in helping our ancestors act justly. The Gospel warns us to act justly so that we will receive the reward of being good and wise servants.

Someone spoke God’s loving words to earlier previous people. Jesus spoke to the people of his time about a compassionate God. Who is speaking for God today? Who will come and speak for justice and kindness to others?

An avatar can be pictured as a winged messenger, one who carries a message from the heavens. Many prophets were avatars. They invited their listeners to be just, thoughtful, and considerate.

Many people today can be considered as avatars, particularly if their admonitions bring us closer to heaven. In fact, all of us were created by the Great Creator; all of us have ‘somewhat of God within’ that is eager to do good things for others, to heal the sick, to free those in bondage. When we speak of God as loving and protecting us, aren’t we being winged messengers of Yahweh?

For Communion: Greet the Great Spirit and invite the Dweller to dwell in your soul. After the meditation, remember those who are a part of your life. Ask yourself, “How can I be more patient with those I love? How can I help those who enter my daily life very briefly? How can I help the people of the nations? How can I share my goods with others?” Ask for wisdom to understand the message of Jesus. Ask for the help you need, by sincere prayer.

Readings and Femily for Feast of the Assumption and 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time August 15, 2013

Reading 1 is from Jeremiah 38:4-6, 8-10

The princes said to the king, “Jeremiah ought to be put to death, for on purpose he weakens the hands of the men of war that remain in the