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About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (March 9, 2022)
Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, March 9, 2022 -- THREE Spiritually Speaking Come down immediately By Fr. Thankachan Joseph Last Sunday when I went into my hometown Parish Church, I was given the reading about the conversion of Zacchaeus, mentioned in Luke 19; therefore, I reflected on his conversion and how we can turn our- selves to God. Lent is a time to look into oneself - to see how, through sin, we have run away from God and turned to worldly Fr. Thankachan and material possessions. Joseph Sin is the breaking of one’s relation- ship with God, seen in the life of Adam and Eve, with Cain and Abel, and with how God confused the people while they were building the tower of Babel. God continuously calls us to conversion and waits for us to return to Him like the father in the parable of the prodigal son, or He runs after us like the hound of heaven in the poem of Francis Thompson. Jesus and John the Baptist both began their ministries of preaching with an ardent plea to turn away from sin (Mt. 4: 17); “The time has come,” Jesus said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the Good News.” (Mk. 1:15). Jesus did not leave behind a list of sins, but He showed the meaning and seriousness of sin by the way He responded to events and situations. He redefined many of the existing teachings on sin (Mt.5:21f). According to Jesus, sin meant a) refusal to help those in need (Mt. 25: 41-46; Lk. 16: 19f); b) waste of talents (the one who buried the talent is condemned) (Mt. 25.24-30); c) unwill- ingness to forgive (even after experiencing forgiveness for oneself) (Mt. 18:21f); d) Pharisaism (condemning others and despising them) (Lk. 18:11-12; Mt. 23:13f); e) cult of pleasure (makes one lose the power of reasoning as in the case of Herod) (Mt. 14:1-12); f) waste of grace (taking things for granted) (Lk. 20:9f; Mt. 23:37); g) refusal to accept and stand by one’s own people (Lk. 15: 25-32); h) ingratitude (though we have received much more than we truly need or deserve) (Lk. 17:11-19); i) selfishness and hoarding (lack of trust in the providence of God) (Lk. 12:13-21); j) casting aspersions on the character of others (the unpardonable sin) (Lk. 7:39f). When I read the story of Zacchaeus, the following came to my mind as points for our reflections and our spiritual growth this week: We read in the Gospel of Luke (9:4) that Zacchaeus ran ahead and climbed up a sycamore tree to have the glimpses of Jesus at least once in his life. When Lord Jesus reaches the spot where Zacchaeus was waiting to see Jesus, He looks up and calls him to come down immediately. Jesus tells him that He is planning to stay with him that day. Similarly, the Lord is inviting each one of us to come down from our own self-made glories and presumptions. We, too, need to have the same inclinations and likings as Zacchaeus had for Jesus to see the face of the Lord at least during this season of lent. Like Zacchaeus, we, too, have made a sort of high pedestal of our own pride and arrogance. When smugness enters into our lives, we, too, keep our own kith and kin and neighbors away from our daily life. Jesus invites each of us to come down from the heights of wealth, possibly, that we have accumulated for our personal benefits. Or is it from living without both- ering ourselves with our fellow beings, neighbors when they go through highest amounts of pain and misery? Instead, we close our eyes towards them. Though we do these things and run away from God, He does not keep track of our sins, mistakes, and errors (cf. Lk. 15:21f). But we ourselves do. Our guilty con- science torments us (Lady Macbeth, Herod). We punish ourselves. The season of lent is an invitation to our read- iness to forgive, and contrition is more important than whispering sins to the priest. Readiness to change is a necessary condition. (Zacchaeus Lk. 19:8). No sacrament works like magic - either it is an occasion for personal transformation or an empty ritual. The season of lent is a time for all of us to prepare ourselves for the forgiveness of sins from God. Confession truly is good for the soul and is the celebration of our homecoming. Either we can enter the home like the prodigal son in the parable or sneak back into the pigsty. Obituaries Mary Elizabeth (Bailey) Riggs Russell Bryon Seewald Mary Elizabeth (Bai- Estes of Heppner; sons, ley) Riggs was born on Chaney (Pam) Ferguson of Colorado Springs, October 31, 1944, in CO; Charles (Jodi) Ogden, UT to James Ferguson of Lex- and Wanda Bailey. She ington; Scott Fer- died March 4, 2022, at guson of Prosser, the age of 77. WA; Keith (Kris- Mary was raised tin) Ferguson of and attended school in Stanfield. She married Mary Eliza- S u m n e r , WA ; eight grandchil- Chuck Ferguson early beth Riggs dren and one great in her life. She spent the last 30 years with her granddaughter; brothers, best friend and partner John Robert, Paul and Lawrence Bailey and sister, LuCynda Estes. Mary was a member of Keltz. Mary was proceeded in the Stanfield Moose Lodge and the Heppner Elks death by her parents; sister, Lodge. She loved spending Wanda Fowler; brothers, time with her sons and fam- James, Gordon, Russell, ily enjoying the mountains, Roger and Chuck Bailey. A celebration of life fishing, hunting, camping, riding horses and 4-wheel- will be held at Stanfield ers, playing cards and dice, Moose Lodge on March teaching her grandkids how 19 at noon, with a potluck to cook and sew and many to follow. Donations may other things. Mary also be made to Willow Creek knew no strangers and was Terrace Assisted Living, 400 Frank Gilliam Drive, a friend to many. She is survived by John Heppner, OR 97836. Good News Only By Doris Brosnan on one of the Main Street What are the odds of benches for any length of this story from the tiny town time, and you might start of Heppner, OR, USA? Flo- to feel a bit higher, maybe rene Robinson has been in even a bit like dancing a jig, touch for a long time with for the Irish music broad- an Australian cousin of her cast along the street can be husband Dean, and just a bit uplifting. recently also established As the St. Patrick’s contact on social media celebration returns after with another of his Austra- the two-year hiatus, hopes lian cousins. (Generations are high that the crowd of ago, the family patriarch visitors will also. Finding emigrated to Australia and parking spaces this week- stayed there with some end will be less challenging family though two sons for our visitors because returned to the states.) In the city has leveled and conversation with the new- graveled the lot by the May er contact, Florene men- Street bridge so it will be tioned the other’s name as available for parking. they talked about family, The city crew has been which elicited a response sprucing up for our week- of, “Do you know her?” end company: street-sweep- Long story shorter; the ing, mowing, repainting the father of both women had street shamrock. The school married more than once; lawns look good, too. the newer contact had the Good news: As the Irish name of a half-sister but celebration winds down on had never been able to find Sunday, Daylight Savings her. Florene acted as go-be- Time will have returned tween for the two newly at 2 a.m. Time to spring discovered sisters who live forward. not many miles apart. Chilly but mostly sun- As Nancy Gochnau- ny weather seems to be wel- er headed for Missouri a coming back the schools’ week ago Tuesday morning, athletes out for baseball, caravanning in her car be- softball, golf, and track. tween a pickup/trailer and a Tennis, anyone? U-Haul truck, she knew she Only a few minutes are was leaving the St. Patrick’s probably needed for jotting senior apartments in good down your positive news hands. Nancy’s managerial and sending it to dbros- responsibilities have been nan123@gmail.com? Or handed over to DeRina you can also call 541-676- Howard, who reports no 5382 or 541-223-1490. vacancies at this time but Here’s hoping that offers the office number for some good news comes to inquiries: 541-676-5380. everyone reading this. Feeling a bit low? Sit The Morrow County Clerk’s office has released the following report of marriage licenses: February 3, 2022: - Jennifer Yvonne Bash, 40, Ione, and Matthew Louis Spargo, 38, Pocahontas, AR. February 18, 2022: - Linda Louise Keith, 35, Hep- *Design *Print *Mail pner, and Jose Elias Sauceda III, 45, Heppner. Marriage Licenses Print & Mailing Services Sykes Publishing Prepare for Power Outages & Save Money 541-676-9228 Russell Bryon Seewald, naturally to Russ. His grand- dedicated husband, father, kids loved his neck kisses grandfather and friend, with the tickly scratch of passed away in his sleep at his chin whiskers. He loved home in Kennewick, WA on having the kids watch car Friday, February 25, 2022. racing with him, when they Russ was born to Rich- would sarcastically taunt Grandma with ard and Gloria Seewald cheers of “Go, in Caldwell, ID on July race car, go!” 21, 1962. He graduat- Russell is ed from Vallivue High survived by his School in 1980 before wife, Kim; their attending College of Ida- ho, both in Caldwell. At Russell Bryon three children Spencer, Shel- C of I, Russ met his wife, Seewald by (Bonderman) Kim, and graduated in 1987. He then started his and Savannah (McCarl); 30+ year career in banking, four grandchildren, Alayna, Clara, Calvin Russell and mostly as a loan officer. Russ and Kim married Carly; his brother, Brad and on January 6, 1991, and his uncle, Ron. Russ fought a short soon after welcomed their first child, Spencer. In short bout against throat can- work, the family grew to cer. His family appreciates five with the births of Shel- the dedicated staff of the Tri-Cities Cancer Center by and Savannah. Through the years, and Genesis Care. In his memory, dona- Russ enjoyed playing golf, fixing cars and time with tions can be made to his his family. He loved visiting memorial fund, which will Phoenix, making annual first be used to purchase trips to golf with his friends a memorial park swing, and frequenting his vaca- and then to support the Tri-Cities Cancer Center tion home in Scottsdale. Russ and Kim called and Genesis Care. [https:// the Boise area home for al- everloved.com/life-of/rus- most 50 years. They moved sell-seewald/donate/] Please join his fami- to Heppner, OR in 2011 where Russ worked for ly for drop-in memorials: Bank of Eastern Oregon, Sunday, March 6 at Zee’s and then to Kennewick, Rooftop from 2-6 p.m. (250 WA in 2015, still making S 5 th St #900, Boise, ID); frequent trips back to Boise. Sunday, March 13 at CG His race spectating, Public House from 1-4 p.m. auto repair skills and lead (9221 W Clearwater Ave, foot combined to become a Kennewick, WA 99336). His friends and family love affair with auto racing. In the summers, he could are invited to share happy often be found at a number memories and celebrate of racetracks in the north- Russ’ life in the way he west and beyond, while in would want to be remem- the winters, he was tuning bered – as a loving and car- and repairing his race cars – ing man who enjoyed life. A special tribute will always a BMW, preferably also be planned during a car black. Being a grandpa came race this summer. CRP signup deadline approaches The USDA Farm Ser- vice Agency’s General Con- servation Reserve Program (CRP) signup deadline is Friday, March 11. General CRP helps producers and landowners establish long- term, resource-conserving plant species, such as ap- proved grasses or trees, to control soil erosion, im- prove water quality and enhance wildlife habitat on cropland. Producers interested in enrolling in General CRP should contact their local FSA office before close-of- business March 11. To find a USDA Service Center/ FSA office, please visit https://offices.sc.egov.usda. gov/locator/app. Justice Court Report Morrow County Justice of the Peace, Glen Diehl, has released the following Justice Court report: -Abel Santos Ramirez, 28, Ione, was convicted of no operator’s license, fine, $265; driving uninsured, fine $265; failure to drive within lane, fine, $265; and open container, fine $265. -Kannon M. Walkins, 20, Heppner, was convicted of violation of basic rule, fine, $265 and failure to carry proof of insurance, fine, $265. -Donald R. Martin, 51, Heppner, was convicted of driving while suspended, fine, $440 and driving un- insured, fine, $265. One solution for oxygen at home, away, and for travel Introducing the INOGEN ONE – It’s oxygen therapy on your terms No more tanks to refi ll. No more deliveries. No more hassles with travel. The INOGEN ONE portable oxygen concentrator is designed to provide unparalleled freedom for oxygen therapy users. 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