Jairus; and, the Woman with a Hemorrhage - Sunday's Homily with Lawrence Matthew Ventline

June 28, 2015 Wisdom 1:13-15 Ps. 30: 2-13 2 Cor. 8:7-15 Mk. 5: 21-43 Heal what you feel by the favor, grace, blessing of God. After all, God is for life. For the abundant life as Jesus asserts. Jairus is a synagogue leader and his daughter is near death. "My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her so that she may be made well, and live." Both are Jewish - a girl and a woman. The power of faith is working wonders here in both scenes. Faith is like that. Isn't it? The hemorrhaging woman is touched and made well by Jesus. In the meantime, Jairus believes his daughter died. "The child is not dead, but sleeping," Jesus asserts. "Little girl, get up," Jesus says in Aramaic. The 12-year-old rises, the Gospel notes. Restoration of life. Revival. Renewing life around the common number of 12. Restoring 12 tribes of Israel. The 12-year-old and the 12-year hemorrhaged woman. Israel is the daughter and bride of God (Hos.2:19-21). Daughters brought to life, wellness, full health. Praise God! Faith suffices even over death when it comes to Jesus the Christ, the Lord of life and love. For sure. Heal what you feel by the favor of God, will you?

"Laudato Si" - Be Praised!

Two Clergy Roundtable sessions on Pope Francis' latest care for each other, the environment, water, climate letter to the world. Coming in October, 2015. Write lawrencematthewventline@gmail.com for details.

Racist Virus Still a Sin

It's in our DNA, it seems. Racism. And, it's affecting every aspect of life in our metropolitan region of Detroit, and beyond. It is. Join in Clergy Roundtables, Friday, Sept. 11 & Tuesday, Sept. 15 from 12 noon-1:30 pm in the Warren, Michigan Civic Center Conference Room, and, the Hamtramck Public Library. Racism is a sin, our U.S. Catholic Bishops declared decades ago. And, it still is. Deal with it personally, in institutionally, all other ways, all ways, always! Name racism the sin (missing the mark of God's love) it is, claim it as one's own, and tame it today, will you? I will try.

Is Everything About Race?

Is it? For example, 50 years ago, Daniel Patrick Moynihan, at the Department of Labor, noted that "The racist virus in the American bloodstream still afflicts us, and the Negro family in the urban ghettos is crumbling" in his The Negro Family: The Case for National Action. And, yesterday as clergy and civic leaders sat in my living room, the issue was raised as to whether the dismal statistics about the African-American family since 1965 show that family is really worse off. In fact, statistics about family are bleaker today. No doubt. And, that is NOT a racist rant! The young and scholarly message from Moynihan five decades ago was that nearly a quarter of African-American births were "illegitimate," and only a minority of children of African-American descent who were 18 at that time had lived all their lives with both parents. I tire of being charged that everything is about race. This crisis is worse now than in 1965, and, urban areas need to embrace a theology of the family, come clean about the rising illegitimacy of children, and, the crumbling Black family. As clergy and legislative leaders wrestled with the epidemic of family fracture today, in my home, yesterday, they clearly care about this crisis of family, so must urban pastors step up to the plate. They need to rise again NOW! Only a comprehensive plan will help all of us to realize the truth that firm families are good for the health and wellness of the regions where we reside. It is about race. All of it. It's about the human race. Only truth, however, will set us free to rebuild and restore family that has to begin in the home, or else, more of the same real (and unreal) racist rants against police, and more, will fracture this town, and my USA.

'Celebrating Family' Thursday in the Warren, Michigan Civic Center

Family intends to rock Thursday at 6 pm in the Warren Civic Center Atrium near Twelve Mile and Van Dyke, just north of Detroit. Clergy and civic leaders, among others, will affirm that our founders created a balance of power in our government to protect against any assumption of influence, and, personal policies of all leaders. What's right is right. Like good Guardians, family as the basic foundation of our society, is protected by our founders, in the notes of James Madison, for example, among others. An independent judiciary was created as "an impenetrable bulwark against every assumption of power in the legislative or executive" branches, claimed James Madison. Madison, among other founders, aimed to be "guardians" of our precious rights. The balance of power ensures that government and law is kept in check with a clear conscience. It is time to found this Nation again with the vision of our founders. "A people without a vision perish," notes the Good Book. It is about time that our revered vision be revived anew.

The Hurry Addiction

Hurry. People seem to be in a hurry. They do. You do. I do. Hurrying is the latest addiction. It is deadly. It is based on speed and on winning. Hurrying is about being number one. And, it is like a car racing nowhere.

Detroit Tent Revival Near Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Apartments

Bar-B-Que. Bible study. 12-Step Raps. A ROCKING TENT REVIVAL! YES, a tent revival planned for Wednesday, August 26th, 6:30- 88:30 pm at Chene/Lafayette across from the MLK, Jr. Apartments. There will be rapping, rocking, rolling, and more with Archbishop George Stallings, Jr., among other inspiring agents of God, and, the Beloved Community of Dr. King. Yes, there will be! Welcome with your voices, soul/heart, living Temples, trumpet, guitar, keyboard, choir, solo singers, and more as we STAND IN THE GAP as the prophet in the Bible says. Rev. Doctors Sidney and Yvette Griffin of Detroit Pilgrim Baptist Church, near 7 Mile/Ryan, Rev. David Kasbow of Metro Family Church, Rabbi Dorit and Shimon Edut, Bishop W.T. Isaac of Promise of Life on McNichols near the Southfield Freeway, Bishop Barnes of Internatonal Ministries and More, Keyanna Sweeney, the manager of the MLK,Jr., Apartments, among others, are helping to plan this event with Archbishop George Stallings, Jr., of Washington, D.C., Bishops Thomas Gumbleton, Donald Hanchon, Michael Byrnes, Arturo Cepeda, Catholic Alumni Club, Carol Hofer, among others, including Lori Tims, a Team for Justice Advocate, and, the Detroit Pastoral Alliance, AND, MANY MORE supporters. Join us THIS Monday, IN THE MLK, JR. COMMUNITY CENTER (enter on Chene, midway between Larned/Lafayette), June 8th from 11 am until 12 Noon to plan further this TENT ROCKING REVIVAL. Please come Monday to plan and bring your musical instruments, whistles and diverse tongue to praise the Maker August 26th! PLEASE COME THIS MONDAY AND HELP US GET THIS REVIVAL ROCKIN, RAPPIN AND MORE! Father Ventline lawrencematthewventline@gmail.com 313 530 2777

Praying

Voluntary school praying was constitutional from 1789 until 1962. Then, why is it illegal now? At least, that's what history points out, doesn't it? Similarly, if the Ten Commandments are also outlawed, why did Framers of our Constitution and earlier courts allow them? Why was nothing present to prohibit posting them until 1980? Something "fishy" here, so to speak. Courts reached different decisions that are opposite of more recent conclusions when ruling on the same issues. Go figure. To illustrate the point, in 1844, the U.S. Supreme Court concluded that the instruction of the Bible was to be included in government-run schools. That's a reversal from today. Isn't it strange that America used to include prayer and the teachings of the Bible as part of the public marketplace and schools? What gives? What changed? Who is changing all this today?

The Healing Power in Writing

William Shakespeare said: "Give sorrow words." And so, I craft letters and make words and sentences while I live and breathe, and, juggle, transpose, edit thoughts. While doing all this, I recall my Master-teacher's words: "I've come to give you life and give it more abundantly." Life. Loving it!

Sweet Summer Simmering in Rapport

Street ministry never knows where God leads. I don't. Really. Early in the day after praying some Psalms, and, a long run in Harrison Township. MI., Tucker Park, with the overly vibrant Cara, and, my more modest and white Woofie, my endearing dogs, Mass followed nearby with breakfast at Big Boy's while reading The Detroit News. The Arabic term, "Daesch," for ISIS/ISEL caught my eye. The Iranian leader was complaining that our U.S. President is doing nothing to help with the "henchmen," to use the term one guy I visited later this morning used for the killers. Sweet June's debut is like that, I suppose. Never know what it will bring this happy priest who works the trenches and talks with anyone in my path. O blessed summer! After all, they are all graced at my age to quote Judy Collins who adorned my Saint Mary's College, Orchard Lake, MI., Freshmen year bulletin board in the room where I resided with John Bish of West Warren, Massachusetts from '67-71. When Collins sang at the Macomb Community College Center Campus one Fall, she said: "It's good to be here; in fact, it's good to be anywhere at my age," added the folksinger who I admired. On my way to the Macomb/Clinton Library, a stop at the TV station next door gave pause to a conversation about how the staff there is doing. The acting director afforded me many minutes as he took a flier noting some events on strengthening marriage and family in Hamtramck, MI., Our Lady Queen of Apostles Church on Prescott near Conant, June 10th at 6 pm. Jewish, Muslim and Christian thought on fledgling family will be explored by a Rabbi, Pastor and Immam after a Preparing/Enriching Marriage session at 4 pm, and, a Good Grief Growth Group at 5 pm the same day. At the library I met Joseph Syrkowski and Ethel Dekarski in the Book Nook where I purchased the recycled, "A Labor of Love: How to Write a Eulogy." Amid the sale, Joseph, born in Poland, told me of his ordeal in Austria, his American-citizen dad's days in Concentration Camp, and, his tale of his brothers and parents in America. Some tears tore at his heart as he told this tale. I filled in the blank with a story about my two young nephews whene we went to Chicago from the Detroit City Airport to watch the Detroit Pistons win a championship game. Joseph was showing me how short he was when the Germans removed his family from Poland. That brought to mind how my little nephews told about how they couldn't "see the game since the players were so tall," they confessed. How interesting, I thought. It (life) is all about story, isn't it? In the computer room now, crafting some words and sentences to make sense of the wonder of God's Good Earth.