DIVINE MERCY
21 GLIMPSES

The sun rising up out of the ocean - up over
waves, up over mountains, sending rays of light
out - shouting - through the green trees of summer -
through the red and orange leaves of autumn
and through the barren black trees of winter
lifting their arms - branching out in prayer
in thanksgiving for one more day of life
for you and for me. Thank You God.


My morning shower, Niagara falls
flowing down in my shower. Wow.
Cascading water on my back piped
in - showers from the skies - from
a thousand lakes, rainy nights -
melting snow - running into rivers,
flowing, flowing, flowing, flowing,
non-stop, non-stop, non-stop - present
as I turn up the faucet handle.
The Atlantic, the Pacific, the Indian
oceans are hitting my shores - and I
never ever thanked a plumber and
God the Creator - who with imagination
and skill bring all this water to me.
Thank You God! Thank You God!


The beautiful scream and song
of a child in the middle of a boring Mass
or Jeopardy or a baseball game - just
letting us know, they are here with us,
just like You, O God, the mostly Silent One.


Coming to a halt at a red light
on my way to work - watching
two ladies in running shorts -
with dogs on leases stopping
to talk - but both keep running in
place - in space. They laugh -
they check their watches. They
start running again before the light
turns green and I start moving
again as well - on my way to work.

A lector pausing after reading the scriptures
and then saying, “The Word of the Lord!”
and all know this was the Word of the Lord -
by the simple and sacred way she spoke.


A little kid collecting her parents money
envelopes to put all into the collection basket.


The sign of peace at Mass - a moment
of communion with the Body of Christ
before communion with the Bread of Life.


Practically all alone in the aquarium
till a door opens up and in comes running
at least 78 kids who show me how
to look and make “Woo!” and “Wow!”
sounds at fish through water colored glass.


Being at McDonalds and seeing a family in
prayer at that table over there, bowing
before eating and saying to myself, “Oh my
God I’m seeing a Norman Rockwell painting.”


A kid offering some of her jelly beans
to a person just behind her mother
on the long, long line in the bank.


A teacher - Mrs. Everyday - leading 22 second
grade inner city kids up the stairs
into the local library where she’s going
to read to them some children’s stories
and then show them how to get their own
library card and take out their first three books.


A nurse seeing the long line in the emergency
section of the hospital - grabs a bag of lolly
pops and walks around handing out pops
and smiles and “Hang in there’s” because
there’s a lot more folks here today than expected.


Sending the elevator down to the first floor
after getting off at the 55th floor and nobody
is getting on - yet I know for sure,
someone down below would love it -
just coming in off the street - coming to
an elevator, pushing the button, and surprise
then the elevator opens just then for them.


A soldier has another soldier in his gun sight
but he can’t pull the trigger - thinking to
himself - this guy could kill me - but he
too might have a wife and 3 kids waiting
at home - and he thinks about that moment
for the next 46 years. What ever happened
to that guy? What ever happened to him?


She visits two different nursing homes every
week - seeing about 7 people in each. She came
and asked, “Who doesn’t get visitors?” She had
noticed that some people do not get visitors
during the two years her mom was in a nursing
home before mom died January a year ago.


A caddy who never plays golf himself -
but loves bringing his three kids
to play miniature golf - letting them
win every time - and he refuses to give
them advice on how to play their game.


Husband and wife - holding hands - walking
through the mall - smiling because at their
age, everyone thinking, “Obviously a second
marriage!” but nope it’s their first - but today
it’s their 43rd anniversary and they are taking
the day off to do nothing but enjoy each other.


A father pushing the swings in the park
for four different kids - one is his - so three
mothers can talk and chat and relax - and the
kids are laughing and giggling - and holding
on as they swing - surging up there towards
the great big blue sky above all of us today.


Watching light creep across a rust
colored rug - just sitting here, quietly,
with plenty of peace surrounding me,
and I don’t even have to get up to look
out the window to see the afternoon sun.
Thank You God. Thank You God.


A whole family walking down Main Street
each licking and laughing with leaking ice
cream cones on a hot, humid, summer night.


Falling asleep - trusting - letting go -
thanking God for experiencing Loving Kindness -
Divine Mercy at least 21 times today.
Thank You God. Amen. Amen. Amen.

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2011

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Painting on top: Thomas Cole [1801-1848]
"Distant View of Niagara Falls" 1830