SITTING UNDER
THE STATIONS
OF THE CROSS
© 2009 by Rev. Andrew Costello, CSSR
© 2009 by Rev. Andrew Costello, CSSR
Friday, March 6, 2009
INTRODUCTION TO THE
STATIONS OF THE CROSS
STATIONS OF THE CROSS
An older priest once growled, “The stations of the cross are a cross! Up and down! Up and down! Up and down.”
Then he added, “And I can’t stand these new stations. Why can’t they use the traditional, St. Alphonsus’ Stations of the Cross? They’re short and they get right to the point.”
The following “Stations of the Cross” are new. They are also longer than St. Alphonsus’ Stations of the Cross. And at times they also fit the older priest’s third objection of not getting right to the point.
Instead of up and down, up and down, quick prayers, when using these stations of the cross, I urge slow, quiet reflection. At home, in a quiet spot or at the computer say one or two of a few of them quietly. At Church, just sit under one or two of the stations and reflect on the scene. That’s how I wrote these stations -- just sitting there under each station and picturing what was happening. Through imagery and example, I try to evoke feelings that will bring Jesus’ stations of the cross right into everyday life.
However, my goal is the same as that of St. Alphonsus: to help all of us make the journey to Calvary with Jesus, to help us discover that Jesus is with us in our journey to Calvary, to realize that we are still crucifying Christ today in the ways we hurt our neighbor, and to realize how much Jesus loves and forgives us in spite of all the hurt.
These stations of the cross can be used alone or with a group, in Church or in your house. They can also be used while traveling to and from work in the bus or on the train. And who said that we have to use all 14 stations of the cross in one trip?
The Stations of the Cross are a cross. 14 stations. It’s a long train ride. 14 stations. We rather take the express train and get home faster.
The Stations of the Cross are a cross. 14 stops. It’s a long bus ride. 14 stops. Yet, it’s good to stop to reflect on all that God has done for us in sending us his Son, Jesus.
Jesus walked the road to Calvary alone surrounded by people. Since then, millions of people have walked with him by making the stations of the cross. If these new stations of the cross help you in your prayer along the way of the cross, then my prayers and my hopes will have been met. I will have done what St. Alphonsus did. He wrote stations of the cross to try to put the Good News of Jesus Christ in simple terms to help the people of his day.
Then he added, “And I can’t stand these new stations. Why can’t they use the traditional, St. Alphonsus’ Stations of the Cross? They’re short and they get right to the point.”
The following “Stations of the Cross” are new. They are also longer than St. Alphonsus’ Stations of the Cross. And at times they also fit the older priest’s third objection of not getting right to the point.
Instead of up and down, up and down, quick prayers, when using these stations of the cross, I urge slow, quiet reflection. At home, in a quiet spot or at the computer say one or two of a few of them quietly. At Church, just sit under one or two of the stations and reflect on the scene. That’s how I wrote these stations -- just sitting there under each station and picturing what was happening. Through imagery and example, I try to evoke feelings that will bring Jesus’ stations of the cross right into everyday life.
However, my goal is the same as that of St. Alphonsus: to help all of us make the journey to Calvary with Jesus, to help us discover that Jesus is with us in our journey to Calvary, to realize that we are still crucifying Christ today in the ways we hurt our neighbor, and to realize how much Jesus loves and forgives us in spite of all the hurt.
These stations of the cross can be used alone or with a group, in Church or in your house. They can also be used while traveling to and from work in the bus or on the train. And who said that we have to use all 14 stations of the cross in one trip?
The Stations of the Cross are a cross. 14 stations. It’s a long train ride. 14 stations. We rather take the express train and get home faster.
The Stations of the Cross are a cross. 14 stops. It’s a long bus ride. 14 stops. Yet, it’s good to stop to reflect on all that God has done for us in sending us his Son, Jesus.
Jesus walked the road to Calvary alone surrounded by people. Since then, millions of people have walked with him by making the stations of the cross. If these new stations of the cross help you in your prayer along the way of the cross, then my prayers and my hopes will have been met. I will have done what St. Alphonsus did. He wrote stations of the cross to try to put the Good News of Jesus Christ in simple terms to help the people of his day.
© Andy Costello, Stations 2009
-.
FIRST STATION:
JESUS IS CONDEMNED TO DEATH
LEADER: We adore you, O Christ,JESUS IS CONDEMNED TO DEATH
and we praise you.
ALL: Because by your holy cross
you have redeemed the world.
LOOKING AT JESUS
Jesus, just when you were getting started, everything ends. Everything goes wrong. Judas betrays you. Peter denies you. Your friends desert you. A crowd yells at you. Pilate, a puppet, whose strings could be pulled by fear or public pressure, sentences you to death in your early 30’s.
Jesus, you are condemned to death in the prime of your life. Unfair! Unjust! Who of us wants to die in our early 30’s? Imagine what might have happened, if you, Jesus, had 30 more years of life to live? Imagine the stories, the parables and the sayings? Imagine the healings?
1st STATION PRAYER – JUDGING OTHERS
Lord, too many times I’m like Pilate. I act as if I am on a balcony, overlooking life. I judge and condemn others without knowing their story.
Then I spend time and energy trying to wash the guilt off my hands because of the times I didn’t make an effort to discover the truth about another. Because of fear, I can be a puppet at times. I allow myself to be manipulated by the gossip or comments or fear of others. I keep on forgetting you came to put fear, judgment and rock throwing to death.
SECOND STATION:
JESUS IS MADE TO BEAR HIS CROSS
LEADER: We adore you, O Christ,JESUS IS MADE TO BEAR HIS CROSS
and we praise you.
ALL: Because by your holy cross
you have redeemed the world.
LOOKING AT JESUS
Jesus, you are made to carry a cross. Jesus, you are caught, trapped, forced, given no choice in the matter. Jesus, you are pushed and shoved out the gate and onto the street. Jesus, you are walled in by people on all sides who have no idea about who you are. All they want to see is news, as if you were an accident on the street.
Jesus, you are being led like a sheep to the slaughter. You are being sinned against as you are taking away the sins of the world. Jesus, you are caring, surrounded by apathy. You are sight, surrounded by blindness. You are awareness, surrounded by people not knowing what they are doing.
2nd STATION PRAYER – CARRYING THE CROSS
Lord, like you, each day, I have to walk down many streets and many ways, with many crosses and many people,
not of my choice. Lord, be with me on this road from birth to death. Help me to see life is all about how we deal with the surprises and interruptions that cut across our life.
Give me your strength and your power to carry my cross.
THIRD STATION
JESUS FALLS THE FIRST TIME
LEADER: We adore you, O Christ,JESUS FALLS THE FIRST TIME
and we praise you.
ALL: Because by your holy cross
you have redeemed the world.
LOOKING AT JESUS
Jesus, you the one who told us that your yoke is easy and your burden light, could fall. You could crumble beneath the weight of a cross. All the pressures finally caught up to you: the long night of trials, the beating with whips, the crowning with thorns, and now the carrying of the cross. They finally wore you down to the ground.
Jesus, you emptied yourself of your divinity and we spend our lives trying to fill up our empty humanity. No wonder we fall. We spend so much of our time trying to lord it over everyone who gets in our way -- causing them to fall as well as ourselves. You, the creator of our world, could fall down to a gutter in our streets, to show us we can rise from our gutters and enter into your divinity.
3rd STATION PRAYER – THE FALL
Lord, here I am down at the bottom of myself. And Lord, out of my depths, I cry to you for help. At times, it’s hard to admit I too am human. At times, it’s hard to admit I fall.
Lord, at times, it’s so hard to admit I sin. I become proud, stupid, too big for myself. So I fall down to the bottom of myself, to the gutter of my own sins.
FOURTH STATION
JESUS MEETS
HIS SORROWFUL MOTHER
JESUS MEETS
HIS SORROWFUL MOTHER
LEADER: We adore you, O Christ,
and we praise you.
ALL: Because by your holy cross
you have redeemed the world.
LOOKING AT JESUS
Jesus deep in pain, feeling all alone, sees only the stone street below. Then, looking up for a moment, Jesus sees his mother. Mary, a face crying in the crowd, tries to touch the tassel of his hurt. Jesus and Mary: eyes meeting eyes, trying to help one another.
Mary deep in pain, feeling all alone, sees only Jesus. Mary as mother sees the child she has brought into this world. “This is my body. This is my blood. She tries to change hurt into help – but she realizes she can’t stop the horror story going on before her very eyes. The sword of sorrow takes one more twist in her heart.
4th STATION PRAYER – THE MEETING
Jesus and Mary, teach us how to be there for each other in times of sorrow. Help us to take the time out to be present to each other. Help us to realize we don’t have to say anything to each other at the funeral or the hospital. All we have to do is to take the time out to be there - letting each other know we care when the sword of sorrow is twisting in the heart.
FIFTH STATION
SIMON IS MADE TO HELP
JESUS CARRY THE CROSS
SIMON IS MADE TO HELP
JESUS CARRY THE CROSS
LEADER: We adore you, O Christ,
and we praise you.
ALL: Because by your holy cross
you have redeemed the world.
LOOKING AT JESUS
Jesus, you never wanted to go or do life alone. You always asked for volunteers. Come and see. Come follow me. Come and be free.
Jesus, you needed disciples, friends. You are always pictured with others. It is not good to be alone. You called Peter, Andrew, James and John and so many others to come and follow you.
Here is Simon -- the one who was forced to help you to carry your cross. He is the one who just happened to be there. So often life is just happening to be there when another needs our help. Simon helped you and he is forever remembered in this fifth station of the cross.
5th STATION: PRAYER – THE HELP
Jesus, when I try to do it alone or to go it alone, send me someone to help me - a Simon. Keep on reminding me that it’s not good for any of us to be alone. Help me to learn, not only how to ask for help, but also how to receive help from others as we journey along the way of the cross.
SIXTH STATION
VERONICA WIPES
THE FACE OF JESUS
VERONICA WIPES
THE FACE OF JESUS
LEADER: We adore you, O Christ,
and we praise you.
ALL: Because by your holy cross
you have redeemed the world.
LOOKING AT JESUS
Jesus, your face is covered with blood. When cut, the face, the skull, seems to bleed so easily. Your face that looked at so many individuals is now almost blinded by blood. A woman named Veronica steps out of the crowd to help you. She saw your face. Too often we don’t see faces, we see crowds. Veronica took a towel and gently cleaned your face.
Jesus, once more a woman in the crowd reached out to touch you. But this time, power went out from someone else to you. Jesus, once more you experienced the care of a woman who had the courage to step out of a crowd to wash you. This time it was not with hair, but with a towel. This time it was not your feet, but your face. Cleaning your face of blood, Veronica saw your shining face.
6th STATION PRAYER – THE VEIL
Lord, I pause to thank you for each person in my life story who has touched me in a special way – the Veronica’s in my life. I thank you for the unique power that came out of each of them. I thank you for each person who was willing to put aside their veil and step forward to help me.
SEVENTH STATION
JESUS FALLS THE SECOND TIME
JESUS FALLS THE SECOND TIME
LEADER: We adore you, O Christ,
and we praise you.
ALL: Because by your holy cross
you have redeemed the world.
LOOKING AT JESUS
Jesus, you fall again a second time. You crumble down onto the stone street below you. The wood of the cross clumps down on top of you.
Jesus, where are you? What are you thinking about? Are you still wondering, as you did in the garden, why you are being asked to drink this bitter cup of sorrow? Are you saying, “Why me?” Are you asking, “Why does life and death have to go this way?”
Or are you still concerned only about others -- wondering about all these people along the side of the road as you are crawling your way of the cross to Calvary?
7th STATION PRAYER – THE AGAIN
Lord, each time I fall on the way of my cross, help me to rise above myself and become more and more aware of all the gifts you have given me.
Give me courage to drink the chalice you are asking me to drink. Give me the strength to stand up straight once again, take up my cross and follow you.
EIGHT STATION
JESUS SPEAKS
JESUS SPEAKS
TO THE DAUGHTERS OF JERUSALEM
LEADER: We adore you, O Christ,and we praise you.
ALL: Because by your holy cross
you have redeemed the world.
LOOKING AT JESUS
Jesus, you trudge forward. You stumble forward. You are more and more numb, more and more dazed by the loss of so much blood. Yet, you keep on seeing faces along the way. And some of those faces are women’s faces. Once more women are sensing the horror and the shock of how cruel we human beings can be to each other.
And Jesus, as you look into the faces of these women along the way of the cross, both of you know what they are feeling, what they are harboring. Both of you know that what is happening to you, could happen to any one of their children. So you reach out with words of concern, “Weep not for me, but for your children.”
8th STATION PRAYER – TEARS
Lord, the road to Calvary seems to be every street. This eight station of the cross seems to happen every day. Help us to weep so deeply, that the ocean of sorrow that fills so many of us, will drown the violence of the world and bring peace
NINTH STATION
JESUS FALLS THE THIRD TIME
JESUS FALLS THE THIRD TIME
LEADER: We adore you, O Christ,
and we praise you.
ALL: Because by your holy cross
you have redeemed the world.
LOOKING AT JESUS
Jesus, you are almost there, almost to Calvary. The soldiers keep pushing you beyond your control and you fall once again: the third time.
Jesus, you are experiencing the push of people who don’t stop to realize what they are doing. You are experiencing the cruelty that happens, when people just want to get a job done without thinking about how it effects the people they are pushing. The soldiers aren’t aware of you. They just want to get you to Calvary as soon as possible. They just keep pushing you along this way of the cross and you fall the third time.
9th STATION PRAYER – AGAIN
Lord, in this moment of prayer, I have two prayers: First of all, “Father, forgive me, for I don’t know what I am doing.”
Secondly, “Lord, that I might see” - that I might see how cruel I can be in the way I treat others in the rush and push of life and that I can rise above that cruelty.
TENTH STATION
JESUS IS STRIPPED
OF HIS GARMENTS
JESUS IS STRIPPED
OF HIS GARMENTS
LEADER: We adore you, O Christ,
and we praise you.
ALL: Because by your holy cross
you have redeemed the world.
LOOKING AT JESUS
Jesus, you finally arrive at the place of the skull: Calvary. The soldiers strip you of your clothes to prepare you for your execution on the cross. You stand there like a sheep being sheared of its wool. You stand there like a lamb being prepared for the slaughter.
Jesus, you stand there humiliated, completely helpless, like a person who has been abused or raped by another. You stand there silently. Are you also filled with silence within? Are you at the stage of being so weak, that you just want to get all this over with as soon as possible?
10th STATION PRAYER – STRIPPED
Lord, I stand here naked with all my weaknesses showing. I see myself as I really am, stripped of all my defenses.
I stand here today praying for the gift of being so sorry for the way I have treated others, that I won’t treat them that way tomorrow.
ELEVENTH STATION
JESUS IS NAILED TO THE CROSS
JESUS IS NAILED TO THE CROSS
LEADER: We adore you, O Christ,
and we praise you.
ALL: Because by your holy cross
you have redeemed the world.
LOOKING AT JESUS
Jesus, you are nailed to a cross. You are held down in place. A man with a hammer slams a nail through your hands and into the wood of the cross. How could anyone do such a horrible thing to another? How could anyone nail another to a cross?
Jesus, you are then lifted up, nailed to a cross, high above the crowd. Your executioners are like fishermen showing a crowd the fish that they have just caught. You hang there cringing, twisting, bleeding. You slowly bleed to death in this horrible method of killing called crucifixion.
11th STATION PRAYER – NAILED
Lord, I look at you nailed to the cross and ask pardon for all the times I have blamed others for the mistakes that I have done myself.
Lord, I look at you lifted high up on the cross. I see you hanging there on the tree of good and evil. I ask you to give me a true knowledge of the good and evil in myself. Unlike Adam and Eve, help me to stop behind blaming others for the sins I have committed.
TWELFTH STATION
JESUS DIES ON THE CROSS
JESUS DIES ON THE CROSS
LEADER: We adore you, O Christ,
and we praise you.
ALL: Because by your holy cross
you have redeemed the world.
LOOKING AT JESUS
Jesus, you hang high on the cross transfigured before us. On this new mount of Transfiguration called Calvary, the vision of you, the Suffering One, can’t be hidden. The whole world sees the cross. Everyone suffers. Everyone deals with dying words. Everyone has to deal with death.
Jesus, you hang there on the cross talking about forgiveness and feelings of being forsaken, talking about thirsting and taking care of each other, talking about paradise and letting go.
Jesus, you finally die into your Father’s hands. You go into the place of darkness and death, trusting in the promise of Resurrection and new life.
12th STATION PRAYER – CRUCIFIED
Lord Jesus, give me the strength to die to myself each day in order to bring new life to others.
Lord Jesus, give me the strength to trust in your Father, when it comes my turn to die.
THIRTEENTH STATION
JESUS IS TAKEN DOWN
FROM THE CROSS
JESUS IS TAKEN DOWN
FROM THE CROSS
LEADER: We adore you, O Christ,
and we praise you.
ALL: Because by your holy cross
you have redeemed the world.
LOOKING AT JESUS
They take out the nails and then they take Jesus down from the cross. Mary holds him. She is not a statue made of marble or stone. She is flesh and tears and sorrow. She holds her dead son, Jesus, the blessed fruit of her womb. The sword of sorrow twists once again in her heart.
Thank God she is not alone. First of all, there are the women friends of Jesus, the women who have been faithful up to the end. Then there is Nicodemus, the man who came to Jesus in the night. He is there in this night of sorrow. Next there is Joseph of Arimathea. He went to Pilate and arranged for Jesus’ burial. Lastly, there is John, another close friend of Jesus. He is the one Jesus asked to take care of his mother after his death. They all stand there trying to help one another in this place of horror - the place of the skull: Calvary.
13th STATION PRAYER – PRESENCE
Lord Jesus, be with us in our moments of tragedy:
when we have to deal with sickness,
when we have to deal with death,
when we have to deal with helping others in their moments of sorrow.
FOURTEENTH STATION
JESUS IS PLACED IN THE TOMB
JESUS IS PLACED IN THE TOMB
LEADER: We adore you, O Christ,
and we praise you.
ALL: Because by your holy cross
you have redeemed the world.
LOOKING AT JESUS
Jesus, you are buried in a new tomb. You are locked in by a big stone. And as you cried and called out to Lazarus in his tomb, your Father cries out to you, “Jesus, come forth.”
And the echo of the Father is heard throughout the halls and hills of eternity. “Amen! Come Lord Jesus!” Resurrection! Alleluia! Jesus returns to the Father in glory. There is a Heavenly Palm Sunday parade down through the streets of eternity! Resurrection and Ascension together. The Son returns to the Father. Bring out the finest robes and put them on him, “because this son of mine who was dead has come back to life.” Let the banquet, the music and the dancing begin. “And the Father will dance.” Bring in your older brother. Go out to highways and byways and invite all your sisters and brothers into the eternal banquet.
Resurrection! Alleluia! Jesus is given the name, “Lord,” a name above every other name. Jesus is Lord! The Son, who emptied himself, is once again filled with the fullness of God. Alleluia! “Amen! Come Lord Jesus.”
14th STATION PRAYER – RESURRECTION
Lord, don’t let me stop at Good Friday. Help me to move toward Easter.
Call to me, as you called to Lazarus when he was in the grave, “Come forth.”
Lord, stand on the shore of my life, especially when I have the feeling that I have worked the whole night long and caught nothing.
Invite me to the banquet of life. Amen! Let me to come to you, Lord Jesus.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
STEVE
but he remembered.
“Remember last year
when you asked me
why I am always smiling?
Well, I’ve been thinking
about that for months now
and I came up with an answer.
It’s this: ‘I am able to receive
the body and blood of Christ. Amen.’”
© Andy Costello,
Reflections, 2009
VICIOUS CIRCLE # 6
“You remind me of my father.”
“There you go again.
What do you mean by saying,
‘I remind you of your father?’”
“Well, you remind me of my father.”
“Now, that’s stupid.
He and I are two totally different persons.”
“Well, you are so like him.”
“Listen. Years ago, someone said,
‘Be careful of women who say,
you remind them of their father.’”
“Well you do."
“Well, I don’t. You’re just being stupid.”
“There you go again.”
“Wait a minute. If you’re so smart,
tell me how I remind you of your father?”
“Well, when he talked, he talked at me.
He kept on saying I was stupid.”
“Well, if you think I’m like your father,
then you are stupid.”
“There you go again - calling me
stupid just like my father."
Silence!
“Well, I never liked my mother
and you remind me of my mother.”
“You remind me of my father.”
“There you go again.
What do you mean by saying,
‘I remind you of your father?’”
“Well, you remind me of my father.”
“Now, that’s stupid.
He and I are two totally different persons.”
“Well, you are so like him.”
“Listen. Years ago, someone said,
‘Be careful of women who say,
you remind them of their father.’”
“Well you do."
“Well, I don’t. You’re just being stupid.”
“There you go again.”
“Wait a minute. If you’re so smart,
tell me how I remind you of your father?”
“Well, when he talked, he talked at me.
He kept on saying I was stupid.”
“Well, if you think I’m like your father,
then you are stupid.”
“There you go again - calling me
stupid just like my father."
Silence!
“Well, I never liked my mother
and you remind me of my mother.”
© Andy Costello,
Reflections, 2009
LENT
Lent
is forty days of annual leave
from being self centered.
It’s a time to repair
broken relationships
with God, with others
with self.
It’s a time of prayer.
It’s a chance to sacrifice time and money
for the forgotten and the poor.
It’s a forty days journey
with Christ to Jerusalem.
It’s a time to stop along the way,
to listen to his parables
and his teachings,
to help his body,
to be present to all we meet,
along the way.
It’s a journey with Jesus
towards the Father,
towards the cross,
to die with Him,
to rise with Him,
to a new way of living,
year after year after year.
Lent
is forty days of annual leave
from being self centered.
It’s a time to repair
broken relationships
with God, with others
with self.
It’s a time of prayer.
It’s a chance to sacrifice time and money
for the forgotten and the poor.
It’s a forty days journey
with Christ to Jerusalem.
It’s a time to stop along the way,
to listen to his parables
and his teachings,
to help his body,
to be present to all we meet,
along the way.
It’s a journey with Jesus
towards the Father,
towards the cross,
to die with Him,
to rise with Him,
to a new way of living,
year after year after year.
© Andy Costello,
Reflections, 2009
Monday, March 2, 2009
BACK BENCH PRAYER
Lord, here I am in this back bench again.
To be honest,
I don’t know how to pray.
To be honest,
I don’t know what to say.
To be honest,
I wish I could pray like that person
up there in the front of church,
but I can’t. In fact, right now
I want to run. I have this crank
in my soul that keeps mumbling,
“What’s the use? I keep repeating
these same old sins. I keep making
these same mistakes and resolutions
over and over again.”
Yet, here I’m am Lord – half sitting,
half kneeling – half present
with all these back bench folks in churches,
each of us repeating and praying
the same old prayer the man
in Luke chapter 18, verses 9-14
whispered,
“God, be merciful to me a sinner.”
“God, be merciful to me, a sinner.”
Lord, here I am in this back bench again.
To be honest,
I don’t know how to pray.
To be honest,
I don’t know what to say.
To be honest,
I wish I could pray like that person
up there in the front of church,
but I can’t. In fact, right now
I want to run. I have this crank
in my soul that keeps mumbling,
“What’s the use? I keep repeating
these same old sins. I keep making
these same mistakes and resolutions
over and over again.”
Yet, here I’m am Lord – half sitting,
half kneeling – half present
with all these back bench folks in churches,
each of us repeating and praying
the same old prayer the man
in Luke chapter 18, verses 9-14
whispered,
“God, be merciful to me a sinner.”
“God, be merciful to me, a sinner.”
© Andrew Costello,
Prayers, 2009
PERVADING
If rainy, snowy, dark January
or February days slide into
and invade our bones,
how much more does
a cold look, a nasty word,
or worse, the deadening
quiet of a frozen relationship
pervade us? If, and when,
they happen, then prepare
oneself for a long cold winter.
If rainy, snowy, dark January
or February days slide into
and invade our bones,
how much more does
a cold look, a nasty word,
or worse, the deadening
quiet of a frozen relationship
pervade us? If, and when,
they happen, then prepare
oneself for a long cold winter.
© Andy Costello,
Reflections, 2009
EAR AND HEART
Listen.
The heart is a musical instrument,
a piano, a violin, a saxophone.
Listen.
The heart has so many sounds –
some smooth, some strident,
cord and discord.
Listen.
The heart also has its background sound,
it’s ongoing beat – its predominate tune?
Listen.
The heart has its music, its mood, its memories,
ongoing pieces we keep repeating.
Listen.
The heart has so many feelings
and so many missed sensitivities.
Listen.The heart needs to be its own audience,
before we can really hear another’s heart.
Listen ….
© Andy Costello,
Reflections, 2009
MAIN STREET
The light turned red,
halfway up Main Street.
It was the weekend.
She noticed different couples –
one walking into a restaurant,
another couple looking in a
jewelry store window,
two others just strolling,
holding hands and holding
smiles on their faces.
He died a while back.
Aloneness filled her car.
The light turned green.
“Are memories enough
or do I need more?”
“Should I reach out
for a new hand and
a new smile or should I still
knit and knot with his love?”
God, friends, children,
are great, but ….
Tears and smiles
often hold hands.
So too fantasies and
memories walking together
up and down the
Main Street of her mind.
© Andy Costello,
The light turned red,
halfway up Main Street.
It was the weekend.
She noticed different couples –
one walking into a restaurant,
another couple looking in a
jewelry store window,
two others just strolling,
holding hands and holding
smiles on their faces.
He died a while back.
Aloneness filled her car.
The light turned green.
“Are memories enough
or do I need more?”
“Should I reach out
for a new hand and
a new smile or should I still
knit and knot with his love?”
God, friends, children,
are great, but ….
Tears and smiles
often hold hands.
So too fantasies and
memories walking together
up and down the
Main Street of her mind.
© Andy Costello,
Reflections 2009
Sunday, March 1, 2009
LENT:
40 DAYS AND 40 NIGHTS
40 DAYS AND 40 NIGHTS
INTRODUCTION
The title of my homily is, “Lent: Forty Days and 40 Nights.”
Lent is a time to get serious. Lent is a time to see if we are having the time of our life. Lent is a time to see where we are on the time line of our life. Lent is a time to look at serious matters – serious questions – and come up with some serious answers – year after year after year. Lent is a time to look in the mirror and ask, “How’s it going?”
Lent is 40 days and 40 nights. A month and 10 days. That’s a lot of time. Vacations are usually one or two weeks – or for some, just a long weekend – but 40 days and 40 nights. Now that’s a serious amount of time.
40 DAYS TO A MORE POWERFUL ?
When my brother – the oldest of 4 – was in high school and my two sisters and I were still in grammar school, he came up with the book, 30 Days to a More Powerful Vocabulary – and for 30 days he drove us crazy with big words – words we never heard of before. His favorite word was, “sesquipedalian” – as in, “By now you’ve noticed I’ve become a sesquipedalian?”
And when we asked him what does that word mean, he would say, “A person who uses big words.”
Sesquipedalian – literally means “a foot and a half long”. Notice the “ped” root in the word.
The title of my homily is, “Lent: Forty Days and 40 Nights.”
Lent is a time to get serious. Lent is a time to see if we are having the time of our life. Lent is a time to see where we are on the time line of our life. Lent is a time to look at serious matters – serious questions – and come up with some serious answers – year after year after year. Lent is a time to look in the mirror and ask, “How’s it going?”
Lent is 40 days and 40 nights. A month and 10 days. That’s a lot of time. Vacations are usually one or two weeks – or for some, just a long weekend – but 40 days and 40 nights. Now that’s a serious amount of time.
40 DAYS TO A MORE POWERFUL ?
When my brother – the oldest of 4 – was in high school and my two sisters and I were still in grammar school, he came up with the book, 30 Days to a More Powerful Vocabulary – and for 30 days he drove us crazy with big words – words we never heard of before. His favorite word was, “sesquipedalian” – as in, “By now you’ve noticed I’ve become a sesquipedalian?”
And when we asked him what does that word mean, he would say, “A person who uses big words.”
Sesquipedalian – literally means “a foot and a half long”. Notice the “ped” root in the word.
Some speakers are name droppers and some speakers are sesquipedalians.
Those of you who are writers know that one of Ernest Hemingway’s gifts to American writing was short sentences and short words.
Fill in the blank. Come up with just one word for the end of this sentence: “Lent: 40 days to a more powerful _________?”
Would that word be “me” or “Christian” or “father” or “mother” or “brother” or “sister” or “spouse” or “worker” or “friend” or “neighbor” or “driver”?
TODAY’S READINGS
The readings at Mass during Lent can be very helpful.
Today’s first reading from Genesis has God establishing a covenant with Noah and his children after 40 days and 40 nights of rain and destruction. The sign of the covenant is the rainbow.
Have you ever experienced a 40 day or a 400 day or 4,000 day time of destruction in your life – a time when cancer claimed a family member – or a divorce wiped you out – or the loss of a job – or someone in the family messed up totally – and the problem goes on and on and on?
You were flooded with pain and hurt and anger and emptiness – and then one day the sun shone – or a bird chirped at the right moment – or you were at the beach or a mountain – or out fishing – and the light in the morning or the evening was unique – or the night sky was just right – or you saw a rainbow as Noah and his family saw in today’s first reading and you felt the call for a new beginning.
That’s some of what today’s first reading is getting at.
Today’s second reading is a very strange text. Depending on the translation from the Greek – readers get different takes on the text. Some thought Peter was voicing Jesus’ mission to not only reach out to the living – but also to the dead – as we say in the Apostles Creed – the old translation being, “He descended into hell” now the translation is, “He descended to the dead.”
Whatever…. We believe that Jesus is Savior and Redeemer of all!
Jesus comes to us when we feel dead or we’ve been to hell and we want to come back. Jesus comes through all barriers and walls and says to us what he said to the disciples filled with fear when they locked themselves up in the Upper Room, “Peace!”
Today’s gospel has Mark’s two verse description of what happened to Jesus during those 40 days, “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.”
Matthew and Luke will take that text and develop a rich theology and imagery of the 3 temptations of Jesus in the desert.
Then Jesus came out of that desert with a vision and a message: to proclaim the Gospel of God: “This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe in the gospel.”
HIDING OUT IN THE 40 DAYS
Most of us can’t take 40 days and find a desert to hide out in. We have to work and do our everyday family stuff.
But we can buy a $2.95 cent 9 1/2 inch X 6 inch spiral note book or create a new folder on our computer and start jotting down life’s big questions and then write down our answers, our wonderings, our further questions, as well as other people’s observations to life’s big questions.
There are no stupid questions – only stupid answers.
Today’s gospel talks about Jesus in the desert for 40 days.
A word that might jump out is the word “tempted”.
What are my temptations? In Matthew and Luke there are 3 – and preachers have a time trying to clarify them. Maybe Mark by being open ended challenges us to come up with our big 3 or our big 13 or just one temptation.
The 7 capital sins could help: gluttony, greed, lust, laziness, anger, envy, and pride. If you’re a computer buff, use Google to clarify these sins and where they hit you.
What is my predominant fault? What is my Achilles heel? What is my weak spot? What is my nemesis? There’s a word for a more powerful vocabulary. “Nemesis: the Greek goddess that inflicts retribution or vengeance on what rivals or opposes us.” What is my downfall every time? How do my mistakes and bad decisions come back at me a dozenfold?
Lent is a good time to reflect, figure, clarify.
The Gospel talks about wild beasts. Please, no cuffed comments or elbowing the person next to you on the old retreat discussion question: “If I were an animal, what animal would I be?” The group also makes us an animal. A bull, a bear, a snake, a bird, an elephant, a puppy, a poodle, a monkey, a gorilla, a parrot, what have you?
The gospel talks about Satan and Angels.
Those of you who are writers know that one of Ernest Hemingway’s gifts to American writing was short sentences and short words.
Fill in the blank. Come up with just one word for the end of this sentence: “Lent: 40 days to a more powerful _________?”
Would that word be “me” or “Christian” or “father” or “mother” or “brother” or “sister” or “spouse” or “worker” or “friend” or “neighbor” or “driver”?
TODAY’S READINGS
The readings at Mass during Lent can be very helpful.
Today’s first reading from Genesis has God establishing a covenant with Noah and his children after 40 days and 40 nights of rain and destruction. The sign of the covenant is the rainbow.
Have you ever experienced a 40 day or a 400 day or 4,000 day time of destruction in your life – a time when cancer claimed a family member – or a divorce wiped you out – or the loss of a job – or someone in the family messed up totally – and the problem goes on and on and on?
You were flooded with pain and hurt and anger and emptiness – and then one day the sun shone – or a bird chirped at the right moment – or you were at the beach or a mountain – or out fishing – and the light in the morning or the evening was unique – or the night sky was just right – or you saw a rainbow as Noah and his family saw in today’s first reading and you felt the call for a new beginning.
That’s some of what today’s first reading is getting at.
Today’s second reading is a very strange text. Depending on the translation from the Greek – readers get different takes on the text. Some thought Peter was voicing Jesus’ mission to not only reach out to the living – but also to the dead – as we say in the Apostles Creed – the old translation being, “He descended into hell” now the translation is, “He descended to the dead.”
Whatever…. We believe that Jesus is Savior and Redeemer of all!
Jesus comes to us when we feel dead or we’ve been to hell and we want to come back. Jesus comes through all barriers and walls and says to us what he said to the disciples filled with fear when they locked themselves up in the Upper Room, “Peace!”
Today’s gospel has Mark’s two verse description of what happened to Jesus during those 40 days, “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.”
Matthew and Luke will take that text and develop a rich theology and imagery of the 3 temptations of Jesus in the desert.
Then Jesus came out of that desert with a vision and a message: to proclaim the Gospel of God: “This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe in the gospel.”
HIDING OUT IN THE 40 DAYS
Most of us can’t take 40 days and find a desert to hide out in. We have to work and do our everyday family stuff.
But we can buy a $2.95 cent 9 1/2 inch X 6 inch spiral note book or create a new folder on our computer and start jotting down life’s big questions and then write down our answers, our wonderings, our further questions, as well as other people’s observations to life’s big questions.
There are no stupid questions – only stupid answers.
Today’s gospel talks about Jesus in the desert for 40 days.
A word that might jump out is the word “tempted”.
What are my temptations? In Matthew and Luke there are 3 – and preachers have a time trying to clarify them. Maybe Mark by being open ended challenges us to come up with our big 3 or our big 13 or just one temptation.
The 7 capital sins could help: gluttony, greed, lust, laziness, anger, envy, and pride. If you’re a computer buff, use Google to clarify these sins and where they hit you.
What is my predominant fault? What is my Achilles heel? What is my weak spot? What is my nemesis? There’s a word for a more powerful vocabulary. “Nemesis: the Greek goddess that inflicts retribution or vengeance on what rivals or opposes us.” What is my downfall every time? How do my mistakes and bad decisions come back at me a dozenfold?
Lent is a good time to reflect, figure, clarify.
The Gospel talks about wild beasts. Please, no cuffed comments or elbowing the person next to you on the old retreat discussion question: “If I were an animal, what animal would I be?” The group also makes us an animal. A bull, a bear, a snake, a bird, an elephant, a puppy, a poodle, a monkey, a gorilla, a parrot, what have you?
The gospel talks about Satan and Angels.
What / who / how is the devil?
Eric Hoffer defines the devil as, “Anything that dehumanizes.”
There is a Dutch saying, “When the devil gets into the church, he seats himself at the altar.”
There is a saying that appears in French, German, Spanish, Dutch, “The devil lurks (or sits) behind the cross.”
Those are interesting and scary comments. I assume that the Devil hangs around churchy stuff. After all here he is in today’s gospel with Jesus. Is this what Daniel Defoe was implying when he wrote, “Wherever God erects a house of prayer, / The Devil always builds a chapel there; / And ‘twill be found, upon examination, / The latter has the largest congregation.”? [The True-Born Englishman (1701)]
But beware: the scriptures imply he wanders around the world sometimes like a roaring lion – sometimes as a sneaky snake.
There is an old saying, “The devil is not always at one door.”
There is a German saying, “Once invited into the house, you’ll never be rid of the devil.”
Read C.S. Lewis classic, The Screwtape Letters – and he will get you in touch with the devil and how the devil tempts and operates.
Speaking of Postwar Germany, Helmut Thielicke said, “There is a dark, mysterious, spellbinding figure at work. Behind the temptations stands the tempter, behind the lie stands the liar, behind all the dead and bloodshed stands the 'murderer from the beginning.'”
You might have seen or read Elie Wiesel’s comments the other day about how his foundation lost a lot money in the Madoff scam – and he blurted out in anger how evil Madoff was. Or you could read Elie’s Wiesel’s story Night or about his experience in the concentration camp horror – and realize people do evil things.
CONCLUSION
Each day we all have to wrestle with good and evil – to lie or not to lie – to be attentive or to be lazy – to give of ourselves or to be self-centered or selfish – at home or at work.
Lent is the time to face this serious stuff – and to ask, “How am I doing with patience or generosity or laughing or singing or being creative or hard working or giving good example?”
Lent is the time to go to our inner room – and check out what it looks like. Is it empty? Is it a disaster area? Is it a chapel? Is it beautiful? Are we at home with ourselves?
Imagine the example we would give each other if a kid saw mom or dad sitting in a quiet place in the basement or upper room – reading a spiritual reading book or the scriptures or writing down some good journal stuff – or at times kids seeing both mom and dad praying or reading scriptures or a spiritual reading book together?
People are in book clubs. Others say, “I have no time for that.” What a book club that would be – mom and dad – husband and wife – doing a book together. Kids – the couple themselves - would reap big time dividends down the time line of their lives. Amen.
[Top Photo from 5000 Color Photos - Delux Edition]
&
RATTLESNAKES
Once upon a time there were two brothers: Robbie and Ralphie.
Ralphie – aged 18 was twice as old as his younger brother Robbie – who was only 9.
Robbie, the younger brother, liked his older brother, Ralphie.
Ralphie, the older brother, didn’t like his younger brother, Robbie.
Ralphie was an only child – that is, till this younger brother, his surprise brother, Robbie, came along.
Ralphie and Robbie: they were as different as rainbows and rattlesnakes.
Robbie was an optimist; his brother Ralphie was a pessimist.
Robbie was smile at you; Ralphie was snap at you.
Ralphie was half asleep till 11 o’clock every morning – probably because he spent time late into every night listening to strange music on his red I-pod, playing his electronic games or drawing strange ballpoint pen drawings of Aliens – hundreds and hundreds of ballpoint pen drawings of Aliens – sometimes on motorcycles, sometimes on skateboards – sometimes with sunglasses on the top of their heads.
Robbie went to bed every night when he was tired – but woke up every morning – completely alive – with a bounce and a fascination in his step and in his smile. “Hey, it’s a new day of life!” “Hey, each day is a new adventure.” This annoyed Ralphie – that is, if he noticed it.
Robbie saw God and God’s goodness everywhere.
Ralphie didn’t see God anywhere. In fact, he liked to shock his parents, his friends, but especially his younger brother by saying, “I don’t believe in God.”
Ralphie’s parents said to themselves, “It’s just a stage. He’ll get over it. When he’s married and has kids – especially teenagers, Ralphie will start praying and asking God for help and thanking God for each new day of life.”
Robbie, the younger brother, prayed for his older brother, Ralphie.
Robbie and his parents didn’t know that Ralphie sometimes was angry with God. Two girl friends dropped him – just like that – just like uncooked eggs hitting hard cement sidewalk. That hurt! Also he prayed and prayed to make the lacrosse team - and didn’t make it – and he remembers standing there as a 10 year old kid on September 11, 2001 and seeing all those people killed on the TV screen – and last year 3 seniors were killed in a car crash on a late Saturday night. “Why God, why?” “Why?”
Ralphie could be sour – surly and sort of half moving much of the day.
Robby – 9 years old – loved everything and everyone – swimming pools – zoos – soccer – his buddy Timmy from across the street who had a neat border collie named Blue Cheese. He liked chess, NASCAR Racing, the Blue Angels, the Ravens, the Redskins, the Capitals and the Nationals – and also the Orioles – and also math and spelling and 6 Flags. He loved to go to yard sales – because he could find buttons with interesting words on them to add to his button collection.
Robby loved summer vacations with his parents. Ralphie was glad, glad, glad 10 times over because he was going to college and get away from his parents and his nerdy brother Robby – and hopefully never have to go camping with his mom and dad and younger brother any summer ever again. Camping: boring, boring, boring.
Well, it was vacation time once more and Ralphie’s dad begged Ralphie to want to come on one last vacation as a family – before he went off to college. His dad begged him, “It will mean a lot to your mom.” He answered back, “Dad, boring!” “Well,” his dad said, “It will mean a lot to your younger brother Robbie.” “Double boring, dad. Double boring.”
But Ralphie went. This year they would drive down to Tennessee and go camping in the wilderness for just a week. They loaded up their SUV with two tents and sleeping bags, backpacks and plenty of food – and all the necessary stuff for camping.
Robbie couldn’t wait. Ralphie couldn’t wait till it would be over and he could be off to college.
The second day on vacation a horrible thing happened. Robbie was bit by a rattlesnake. His dad didn’t know what to do – but he sucked where Robby was bit and spit out the poison – and then washed his mouth out with bottled water and spit some more. Fortunately, they had cell phones and called the police who had an ambulance there immediately and off Robbie went to the local hospital.
Well, for the rest of their week’s vacation Robbie’s parents and Ralphie were not in tents – but in a motel and in a hospital.
Well, the next afternoon at the hospital, Robbie still unconscious, Ralphie, seeing his mom and dad, exhausted, worried, scared, told them to go back to the motel and take a good nap and he would watch and wait – and if anything happens, if things get worse, he’d call them immediately.
His parents thought that was thoughtful and took him up on his suggestion.
Robbie was semi-conscious as he lay there.
Ralphie was worried – worried that his brother might die – and how tragic that would be for his parents.
Ralphie found himself praying – praying for the first time in years – other than just going through the motions when saying grace before dinner. In fact, he got down on his knees by the side of Robbie’s bed and prayed and prayed and prayed to God to get his baby brother better.
A nurse came in and was surprised to see this 18 year old young man kneeling by his brother’s side praying. She went out and told the other nurses how wonderful this other brother was – having such faith in God – praying for his brother.
Well, as Ralphie was begging God for help – as Ralphie was saying to God, “I’ll go to church for the rest of my life, if you get my brother better,” he just happened to look out the window and he saw this perfect rainbow – this great big beautiful colorful rainbow. He stood up and walked to the window and looked out at the rainbow. And Ralphie knew his brother was going to get better.
When his mom and dad showed up 2 hours later, he told his mom and dad, “Robbie is going to be okay.” His mom said, “Did the doctor come in and say something?”
“Nope! I just know!”
And sure enough that evening Robbie woke up and a day later was released from the hospital.
And surprise – that moment changed not only Ralphie’s life, but also Robbie and his mom and dad’s life.
And Ralphie told mom and dad and Robbie all about the rainbow – on their drive back from Tennessee.
Their family was always a family – but now they were much more a family.
Robbie and Ralphie’s mom and dad pinched themselves every time they came to church – thanking God for two wonderful sons – “Okay God,” his mom would pray, “as different as Rainbows and Rattlesnakes.”
[This is a story for our Kids' Mass - for the First Sunday of Lent -Year B - and I took the image of the rainbow from the first reading and the wilderness theme from the gospel. I couldn't figure out what age group this story would be for.]
Ralphie – aged 18 was twice as old as his younger brother Robbie – who was only 9.
Robbie, the younger brother, liked his older brother, Ralphie.
Ralphie, the older brother, didn’t like his younger brother, Robbie.
Ralphie was an only child – that is, till this younger brother, his surprise brother, Robbie, came along.
Ralphie and Robbie: they were as different as rainbows and rattlesnakes.
Robbie was an optimist; his brother Ralphie was a pessimist.
Robbie was smile at you; Ralphie was snap at you.
Ralphie was half asleep till 11 o’clock every morning – probably because he spent time late into every night listening to strange music on his red I-pod, playing his electronic games or drawing strange ballpoint pen drawings of Aliens – hundreds and hundreds of ballpoint pen drawings of Aliens – sometimes on motorcycles, sometimes on skateboards – sometimes with sunglasses on the top of their heads.
Robbie went to bed every night when he was tired – but woke up every morning – completely alive – with a bounce and a fascination in his step and in his smile. “Hey, it’s a new day of life!” “Hey, each day is a new adventure.” This annoyed Ralphie – that is, if he noticed it.
Robbie saw God and God’s goodness everywhere.
Ralphie didn’t see God anywhere. In fact, he liked to shock his parents, his friends, but especially his younger brother by saying, “I don’t believe in God.”
Ralphie’s parents said to themselves, “It’s just a stage. He’ll get over it. When he’s married and has kids – especially teenagers, Ralphie will start praying and asking God for help and thanking God for each new day of life.”
Robbie, the younger brother, prayed for his older brother, Ralphie.
Robbie and his parents didn’t know that Ralphie sometimes was angry with God. Two girl friends dropped him – just like that – just like uncooked eggs hitting hard cement sidewalk. That hurt! Also he prayed and prayed to make the lacrosse team - and didn’t make it – and he remembers standing there as a 10 year old kid on September 11, 2001 and seeing all those people killed on the TV screen – and last year 3 seniors were killed in a car crash on a late Saturday night. “Why God, why?” “Why?”
Ralphie could be sour – surly and sort of half moving much of the day.
Robby – 9 years old – loved everything and everyone – swimming pools – zoos – soccer – his buddy Timmy from across the street who had a neat border collie named Blue Cheese. He liked chess, NASCAR Racing, the Blue Angels, the Ravens, the Redskins, the Capitals and the Nationals – and also the Orioles – and also math and spelling and 6 Flags. He loved to go to yard sales – because he could find buttons with interesting words on them to add to his button collection.
Robby loved summer vacations with his parents. Ralphie was glad, glad, glad 10 times over because he was going to college and get away from his parents and his nerdy brother Robby – and hopefully never have to go camping with his mom and dad and younger brother any summer ever again. Camping: boring, boring, boring.
Well, it was vacation time once more and Ralphie’s dad begged Ralphie to want to come on one last vacation as a family – before he went off to college. His dad begged him, “It will mean a lot to your mom.” He answered back, “Dad, boring!” “Well,” his dad said, “It will mean a lot to your younger brother Robbie.” “Double boring, dad. Double boring.”
But Ralphie went. This year they would drive down to Tennessee and go camping in the wilderness for just a week. They loaded up their SUV with two tents and sleeping bags, backpacks and plenty of food – and all the necessary stuff for camping.
Robbie couldn’t wait. Ralphie couldn’t wait till it would be over and he could be off to college.
The second day on vacation a horrible thing happened. Robbie was bit by a rattlesnake. His dad didn’t know what to do – but he sucked where Robby was bit and spit out the poison – and then washed his mouth out with bottled water and spit some more. Fortunately, they had cell phones and called the police who had an ambulance there immediately and off Robbie went to the local hospital.
Well, for the rest of their week’s vacation Robbie’s parents and Ralphie were not in tents – but in a motel and in a hospital.
Well, the next afternoon at the hospital, Robbie still unconscious, Ralphie, seeing his mom and dad, exhausted, worried, scared, told them to go back to the motel and take a good nap and he would watch and wait – and if anything happens, if things get worse, he’d call them immediately.
His parents thought that was thoughtful and took him up on his suggestion.
Robbie was semi-conscious as he lay there.
Ralphie was worried – worried that his brother might die – and how tragic that would be for his parents.
Ralphie found himself praying – praying for the first time in years – other than just going through the motions when saying grace before dinner. In fact, he got down on his knees by the side of Robbie’s bed and prayed and prayed and prayed to God to get his baby brother better.
A nurse came in and was surprised to see this 18 year old young man kneeling by his brother’s side praying. She went out and told the other nurses how wonderful this other brother was – having such faith in God – praying for his brother.
Well, as Ralphie was begging God for help – as Ralphie was saying to God, “I’ll go to church for the rest of my life, if you get my brother better,” he just happened to look out the window and he saw this perfect rainbow – this great big beautiful colorful rainbow. He stood up and walked to the window and looked out at the rainbow. And Ralphie knew his brother was going to get better.
When his mom and dad showed up 2 hours later, he told his mom and dad, “Robbie is going to be okay.” His mom said, “Did the doctor come in and say something?”
“Nope! I just know!”
And sure enough that evening Robbie woke up and a day later was released from the hospital.
And surprise – that moment changed not only Ralphie’s life, but also Robbie and his mom and dad’s life.
And Ralphie told mom and dad and Robbie all about the rainbow – on their drive back from Tennessee.
Their family was always a family – but now they were much more a family.
Robbie and Ralphie’s mom and dad pinched themselves every time they came to church – thanking God for two wonderful sons – “Okay God,” his mom would pray, “as different as Rainbows and Rattlesnakes.”
[This is a story for our Kids' Mass - for the First Sunday of Lent -Year B - and I took the image of the rainbow from the first reading and the wilderness theme from the gospel. I couldn't figure out what age group this story would be for.]
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