LET'S TALK 

Quote for Today - Tuesday - November 12, 2013

“A gossip is one who talks to you about others; a bore is one who talks to you about himself; and a brilliant conversationalist is one who talks to you about yourself.”  

Lisa Kirk, New York Journal American, March 9, 1954

REGRETS

Quote for Today - Monday November 11, 2013

“Regrets are as personal as fingerprints.”  

Margaret Culkin Banning, “Living With Regrets,”  Readers Digest, October 1958

IS THAT ALL THERE IS? 

TWO WOMEN WHO

HOVER IN MY MEMORY

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this 32^nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, C, “Is That All There Is?  Two Women Who Hover In My Memory.”

Today’s three readings, Machabees, Thessalonians, and Luke, Old Testament and New Testament, challenge us to look at life and death, faith and meaning, resurrection or nothingness.  Big topics!

Is this life all there is?

How many of us - at a funeral - or a sleepless night - or - when we’re about to have a major operation think: “What happens if I die and there is nothing after this?”

Then we laugh - or smirk inwardly: “Well if this is all there is, we’ll never know till after we die and then we’ll never know.”

Uh oh! That triggers one more, “Uh oh!”

Doubts! We’re allowed to have them.

Doubts! In fact as wisdom figures often point out: if you don’t have them, you’re not thinking.

Doubts! So they are real. They’re under different rocks along the way - especially tomb stones.

And I would expect as we move towards the end of the year, we should expect end of life questions. 

We who live in the Northern Hemisphere, if we’re in a four season locale, are reminded of these topics and themes by nature as well. The trees along the roads and on our streets - announce with each parachuting leaf: time is almost up. Neighbors who are neat are out there with their rakes and black plastic bags. They are telling us: winter is coming. For some reason cemeteries in November seem louder than usual. And sometimes we wonder if the obituary column is longer around this time of the year than at other times.

TWO WOMEN

As priest - these questions pop up - perhaps - more in my mind - than for other folks. The request to do a funeral - or to visit someone who is dying - are part of a parish priest’s week. Before I came to Annapolis to do parish priest work, I did quite a bit of parish missions. Part of that work was to visit the sick of a parish - especially those who were homebound or in nursing homes.

Two women still hover - keep lingering -  in my memories - whenever I begin thinking about these end of life issues - as well as when I drive down November or December highways as we head towards the end of another year - church and calendar years.

I met these two women in different states. For the sake of privacy I’ll keep the first name of both these women anonymous.

The first woman lived in a farm house. A parishioner, a man who brought me to see this lady, told me as we were getting out of the car that the lady had about 2 months to live. We had asked the pastor to line up people in the parish who know who the shut-ins were. The driver visited this couple once a week and brought them communion.

Hearing him say, “two months to live” triggered an “Uh oh!” in me.

The man knocked on the door. He then opened it and walked right in. This told me that  he had been here many times. The woman was sitting right there on a couch. She was yellow. She was filled with cancer. It was eating into her liver.

The woman told us that her husband was in the bedroom - not feeling that well. He told her, “Relax! I’ll check him out.”

He then walked towards the back of the house to see her husband.  The idea was to give her some time to chat and pray and be alone with me. We sat and talked. We sat and I listened.

With a bit of nervousness - after she told me she didn’t have much time left, I asked her, “Are you ready?”

She looked at me - as if surprised a priest would ask her such a question.

Then she said directly and calmly. “Ready?  In less than a month I’m going to see the shining face of Jesus.”

Then she told me that Jesus has been the one who had been with her all these days - loving her husband - raising the kids - dealing with cancer. “Jesus has been with me all the days of my life.”

I breathed a sigh of relief.

When we were finished  I went to the back and asked her husband if he was well enough to have communion with his wife - in the living room.

Then we went back to the front of the house and the four of us joined hands in prayer. Then I broke the communion host in half - and gave one half to her and the other half to her husband. That’s something I like to do when I give communion to couples in a situation like this.

As we headed back to the car - I said to the guy doing the driving, “Wow. What a neat couple. What serenity. What faith. What hope. What trust.”

I’ll have never forgotten her face. It was shining!

The second woman whom I have never forgotten was in a nursing home - in another state. The two priests in the parish asked me to see her. For some reason, I sensed problems here. But they said nothing.

I went by myself.  It was quite a distance to the nursing home. They gave good directions. She was the only Catholic in the nursing home.

She was in her room.  Her only question was, “Am I going to hell, Father?” She asked that question at least 7 times in the first 7 minutes. A nurse’s aid in the corridor heard the question and I could see her face wince.

I stayed for about 20 minutes. She didn’t hear me when I said, “Jesus loves you. Jesus forgives you everything.” I didn’t know what else to say, so I said words like that. They didn’t take. She kept with her, “Am I going to hell, Father?” 

I realized she had memory loss and was frozen in that one question: “Am I going to hell?”

As I drove back I felt lonely. Helpless! I felt angst and yuck.

That evening at supper, both priests asked me about my day and the different nursing homes I visited. And then came  the real question, “Did you see so and so? Were you able to deal with her, ‘Am I going to hell?’ question.”

At that I felt they had the same feelings of disappointment.

They told me that she has been asking that same question of every priest that goes to see her for over 7 years now.

We talked a bit more about all this. I have no idea what we ate - only what was eating us - our wonderings if  church or preachers - or family - who or what - got her into this frozen lake of worry. We wondered if we or anyone could have helped her back then sometime - before she got into this state.

By now she’s surely dead - and I’m assuming she’s laughing with God.

Yet,   to be totally honest, let me say this: “Of course, I don’t know - really down deep - I don’t know how all this works. I know the words and the teachings and the scripture stories.”

She’s still alive for me - in that small nursing home - somewhere there in the back of my mind.

And the obvious question: will this happen to me?

And the obvious question: have I done this to anyone?

And the obvious prayer: “Lord, make me an announcer of your copious redemption.” That’s the motto and the charism of the community I belong to - the Redemptorist Congregation in the Church.

Yes - that’s our motto - and I wince every time someone says, “Redemptorists? Aren’t they the ones who used to preach fire and brimstone sermons?” 

And I respond: “I hope not. Our motto is, ‘Copiosa apud eum redemptio.’ ‘With him there is fullness of  redemption.’”

So I hope I can preach that message to those who still have their minds - and I pray for those in nursing homes or at home who are in the November or December of their lives that they have  serenity of Spirit - trusting in the Lord walking with them if they begin to feel they are going through a dark valley.

GOSPEL

Ooops. Well, I better get to a conclusion - after talking about conclusions - in this homily.

The title of my homily is: “Is That All There Is?  Two Women Who Hover In My Memory.”

Today’s gospel can get us in touch with the reality that some people think about these questions.

Some people think there is nothing after this life.

Some do.

Some people get nervous about second marriages - and what happens if there is life after this? Will my first spouse be waiting for me and say, “I thought ….?”

Today’s gospel tells us about the Sadducees - who use an old anecdote about a woman  who was married to seven brothers. She buries them all off - so the question arises:  “Who will be her husband if there is life after death?”

It’s their way of challenging Jesus and anyone who believes in resurrection after death. 

Jesus tries to stretch their minds and their hopes by telling those who will listen that they have no clue to what the next life is all about. The next age will not be about marriage and re-marriage - but about being celebrating eternal life with God and with all who have gone before us - Moses, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob. 

CONCLUSION

The title of my homily is: “Is That All There Is?  Two Women Who Hover In My Memory.”

Right now I’m thinking of my sister Peggy who has just died. I have faith that her life includes resurrection and eternal life. Being a religious, I believe in Jesus’ promises about those who chose the kind of life a religious nun or priest chooses has eternal value.

Having read today’s readings - I also suspect that triggered Peggy Lee’s 1969 signature song: “Is That All There Is?”

The song’s message compared to Jesus’ words about all that is to come - seems empty and insipid. Peggy Lee’s refrain is, “If that’s all there is, my friend, then let’s keep dancing, let’s break out the booze, and have a ball.”

Peggy Lee near the end of her song says that if that’s all there is, it will be disappointing. I was disappointed with the end of the song - because I think Christianity - with the promises of Christ - urges us to live life to the full - both now and for all eternity.

Interesting - in Greek theology - eternity is described as the perichoresis - from the two Greek words - “peri” - “around” and “chorea” meaning dance - so heaven is the Great Dance or the Divine Dance - in which all are invited into this great dance with the Trinity. I picture my sister Peggy and all those who have gone before me - in that dance - and so as Peggy Lee says, “let’s keep dancing” because this here life is not all that there is. Amen.

OOOOOOOOOO

Painting on top: Mary Cassatt, Young Woman in Green Outdoors in the Sun, 1914

TELEPHONE CALLS

Quote for Today - Sunday - November 10, 2013

“Today the ringing of the telephone takes precedence over everything. It reaches a point of terrorism, particularly at dinnertime.” 

Nieles Diffrient, New York Times, October 16,1986

Comment: Notice this comment was made before cell phones got really ringing and singing.

HINDSIGHT

Quote for Today - Saturday - November 9, 2013

“Hindsight is an exact science.”  

Guy Bellamy, The Sinner’s Congregation, Secker and Warburg, 1984

IN BOLD PRINT

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this 31 Friday in Ordinary Time is: “In Bold Print.”

In today’s first reading from Romans 15: 14-21 - Paul says, “I have written to you rather boldly.”  I am familiar with another translation which said, “I have written to you rather boldly in parts of this letter.”

I was imagining if Paul had a computer - would he write his heavy messages with BOLD print - or a bigger font - or underline key points.

If he printed out his message would he magic mark in yellow or pink or blue - his key passages.

People do that with their Bibles. They go through it with magic markers. I’ve also often wondered if that makes a message stronger for people.

Some people go crazy with people who mark up books - who underline sentences or words - or put exclamation points or question marks.

I love it - SOMETIMES - I put that in capitals - and in bold print - when people mark up Bibles and I pick it up.  It tells me about what hits other people.  It tells me about people.

BACK TO THE TITLE

The title of my homily is, “In Bold Print.”

Picture the following scenario.

Adriana goes out to eat with her family to a local restaurant - and there is a whole plate of roasted asparagus on the table.

Now Adriana loves asparagus.

She asks for a “doggy bag” which now are Styrofoam containers and she brings home her treasure.  From experience she knows that her stuff sometimes gets stolen out of the refrigerator. So she gets a purple Sharpie Pen and puts on the Styrofoam contained in Big Letters: “This belongs to Adriana. DO NOT TOUCH. DO NOT TAKE!”

Then she puts duct tape on the container. Then she puts that in a paper bag - with her name on the brown paper bag. “THIS BELONGS TO ADRIANA! DO NOT TAKE!!!!!!!”

She wakes up the next morning - and heads down to the refrigerator - with a smile on her face - ready for her roasted asparagus.

It’s gone. It’s missing. She starts screaming. “Who took my asparagus.”

Her older brother says, “Oh that was yours. I came home last night and spotted it in the fridge and it was delicious. Thanks.”

She says, “Can’t you read, you moron?”

He says, “You’ll get over it!”

BACK TO MY TITLE

The title of my homily is, “In Bold Print!”

Get yourself a Bible. Get yourself a good yellow highlighter or Magic Marker in yellow or pink. Go through the Bible on a regular basis and high light words and texts and stories that grab you.

Maybe someone will discover your Bible 10 years after you die at the age of 95 and they get a glimpse of what grabbed you in life.

CONCLUSION: TODAY’S GOSPEL

For example, today’s gospel talks about a guy who is very clever in giving people breaks so that if and when he is fired, he will have people he was good to hire him.

Jesus is not telling people to be dishonest, but to use their cleverness for the right reasons - to make life sweeter and better for each other.

That might be something someone would highlight or put in bold print! Amen.

FAMILY FACES

Quote for Today - November 8, 2013

“Family faces are magic mirrors. Looking at people who belong to us, we see the past, present and future.”  

Gail Lumet Buckley, “The Hornes: An American Family, Knopf, 1986

Picture: My sister Peg at her 50th Anniversary as an IHM Sister.

DOWN THE ROAD

Quote for Today - November 7, 2013

"God made the world round so we would never be able to see too far down the road."

Isak Dinesen, recalled on her death, September 7, 1962

IT’S A BANQUET

Oh you didn’t know that….

Well, pull up a chair

and let me tell you

about my sister….

Better - first get off

your chair and start

serving tables

and then you’ll discover

the mysteries Jesus

discovered in sharing

bread and wine - washing feet

and being in communion

with one another - okay

sometimes life will break

you, but you’ll meet the

mysterious surprises

that come to all those

who make sure

everyone has their

daily bread  - and then

surprise you’ll celebrate -

because the message is:

After it's all over,
you can have your

cake and eat it. Amen.

Andy Costello, Reflections, 

Nov. 6, 2013
Photo from Sister St. Monica
Costello's 50th Anniversary as
an I. H. M. Sister.

PEGGY DIED IN NOVEMBER

Peggy died last night at 11:30 - November 5, 2013 - 75 years of age.

Is any time a good time to die? Of course - but then again, it all depends.

November - with all its leaves - falling to the ground - first bright red and yellow - then we spot some orange and some maroon -  lovely leaves - then some turning slowly to brown crumbling leaves on the ground - each one - not a bad image of a person dying - different colors - different beauty -  here - there - everywhere around our world. 

November - the month we Catholics pray for our dead - starting with November 1 - All Saints Day - and then November 2 - All Souls Day.

November - so it’s not a bad month to die - with leaves and grave stones - crumble, crumble, on the ground - from which we came. Yet tough, tough, tough at times ....

November - so when each November rolls around - we who knew Peggy - will remember with tears and smiles - Peggy - or Sister St. Monica - as her Immaculate Heart of Mary nun name was - all through her religious life.

At the wake, at the funeral, we’ll tell our stories - our memories - our take on Peggy, a. k. a. Monica - the places she served - many - the kids she taught - many - the Sisters she was stationed with - many - the schools she ran - several - the service she provided - lots noticed and much unnoticed - the love she gave - cherished.

My sister Mary, my brother Billy, and I were blessed to have such a great sister. The Immaculate Heart of Mary Sisters of Scranton, Pennsylvania, were also blessed to have such a great sister and friend.

My mom and dad - and all our loved ones who have gone before us - continue celebrating the Kingdom of God - together - with the Lord and Redeemer of us all. Thanks for everything, Peggy - and then some more -and then the eternal more and more after that. We'll be with you. Amen. 

P.S. If any young lady is interested in a great life of service - my sister Peggy needs to be replaced - contact the I.H.M. Sisters of Scranton, Pennsylvania.

MEDITATION

Quote for Today - November 6, 2013

"Sleep is the best meditation."



Dalai Lama, People Magazine, September 10, 1979

Comments:

And how often - when meditating - people fall asleep.

Notice the simplicity of the comment - the letting go - called "sleep".

Some call it a "Mini-Death!"

A TASTE OF THE KINGDOM

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily or reflection for this 31^st Tuesday in Ordinary Time is: “A Taste of the Kingdom.”

LIKE BEING IN A SUPERMARKET ….

At times - Jesus is like those folks in Giant or Safeway - Wegmans or Grauls - who stand there - usually in the back section of the supermarket - and they have a tray of tasty delights - samples - on aluminum foil. “Want to try one!”

It’s a bite of beef wrapped in bacon - with a special sauce - or a new cookie - or caramel covered popcorn or what have you. Try it! You’ll like it.

Try it and buy it.

JESUS - TRY IT

Jesus stands there inviting folks to try the Kingdom. Try loving your enemies. Try not judging - or throwing rocks. Try going the extra mile. Try turning the other cheek. Try settling differences while on the way with others - especially those we don’t like. It’s easy to forgive those we get along with.

Jesus gives us a taste of the Kingdom. Its entrance has a narrow door - and most seem to  take the broad way. 

Jesus is saying, “Take a peek. Sneak into the Kingdom. See yourself walking in discipleship with Jesus. Feel the change in your face skin - with a neat smile - an ease that surprises you - that makes you feel beautiful inwardly and outwardly.”

Taste and see.

TODAY’S FIRST READING: ROMANS 12: 5B-16B

Paul tells us in today’s first reading - “Hey, even though we’re many - we’re one.   We’re one body - even though we are so, so diverse. Don’t think division. Think unity.

Paul tells us we don’t have to have it all - do it all. We can work together and watch how that works - how that floats - how that tastes. It really does. Notice some are good at challenging - being prophetic - some are good at teaching - some are good at ministry - some are diligent -  some are very generous - some are great for bringing mercy into messy situations - some are great as cheerleaders.

Taste Paul’s list of important ingredients for the human story: hospitality, providing hope, joy and generosity. And did you notice that last one: “Have the same regard for one another; do not be haughty [i.e., the high and the mighty] but associate with the lowly”?

But notice when we hear today’s gospel - spot that Jesus knows the human tendency to make excuses. We think those 3 little words that block and stop so many new life steps:  “But what if ….?”

There is something in us that doesn’t want to taste the Kingdom of God - that doesn’t want to really be in the Kingdom. 

The block might be laziness, fear, suspecting there’s no fun - it’s all bleak - if we seek the Kingdom of God.

TODAY’S GOSPEL - LUKE 14:15-24 - EXCUSES, EXCUSES

So we make the excuses - excuses - excuses.  In today's gospel, that’s what Jesus is telling us that some people do. 

So Jesus says, okay, I’ll call others into the kingdom.

CONCLUSION

Here’s a mind twisting thought. I used to think that the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame - whom Jesus calls next - were others. Then  I realized it’s me. Jesus is calling me: poor, crippled, blind and lame brained, excuse making, me.

Get a taste of that reverse thinking of Jesus. 

We’re it. Here we are in this banquet hall called “a church”. 

See Mass as a banquet, a meal, a gathering of lots of folks - who are here to be strengthened by our daily bread - served by some folks up here in the back of the store. Then all go forth out the front door of this church - and go back into our world - working together to make the Kingdom come. Amen.

BETTER IS COMING

Quote for Today - November 5, 2013

"Always in black spirituals there's that promise that things are going to be better, by and by."

Maya Angelou, in an interview with Bill Moyers, Public Affairs Television, 1989

BRIDGES  

IN  THE  DISTANCE

There is something about bridges ….

Sometimes they shake - evoking

memories of past moments on the

other side of some place distant  -

down there on the other side

of the inside of something forgotten

or something about another that

we just - really - don’t understand.

They hint at hesitation - or maybe even

the need to stop - or to turn back to

some safer place than going ahead.

There is something about bridges….

We see them just ahead of us -

through the front windshield of our car -

but we also have an eye on what’s

behind - what’s in our rear view mirror….

There is something about bridges ….

We know they can help us to get

to a new place in a relationship -

or a situation - so we don’t make

the U-turn. We reach out to the other

with a call or with a handshake -

that ancient bridge made of flesh

and hope. We talk to ourselves:

"Maybe we can make the crossing

and arrive at each other - at their

elsewhere or their take on something -

a place we’ve never been to or

we’ve never realy understood - 
but maybe this time we can bridge 
the difference and arrive at place 
called 'Understanding! or 'Peace!'"

© Andy Costello, Reflections, 2013

PROTECTORS

Quote for Today - November 4, 2013

"Please, I would like to ask all those who have positions of responsibility in economic, political and social life, and all men and women of good will: Let us be 'protectors' of creation, protectors of God's plan inscribed in nature, protectors of one another and the environment. Let us not allow omens of destruction and death to accompany the advance of this world."

Pope Francis. I found this quote on page 112 in Forbes Magazine, dated, April 15, 2013

Picture on top - taken from on line for the Christian Science Monitor.

Video - seen my millions - on YouTube

AMAZEMENT AT

THE ALL IN THE SMALL

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily is, “Amazement At The All In The Small.”

It’s a thought that hit me from the opening sentence of today’s first reading from the Book of Wisdom. Here it is again: 
            “Before the Lord 
              the whole universe 
              is as a grain from a balance 
              [or a scale in the marketplace] 
              or a drop of morning dew 
              come down upon the earth.”

That’s an intriguing - as well as an amazing - comment. I think of it when I see that morning water glaze on the front windshield of my car. I think of it when I see one of those tiny little hour glasses - better minute glasses - you see in kitchens for timing eggs - or those little plastic ones that tell us how much time one has in a board game.

Sand and dew …. being compared to our universe.  

I’m sure you heard the comment by the scientist, Carl Sagan, who said, “If you want to make an apple pie from scratch, you must first create the universe?” I was always amazed at that comment - when I see apples or an apple pie - as well as why Carl Sagan didn’t believe in God as I believe.

We don’t know how far out the universe goes. This comment, this text from the Book of Wisdom, was written probably around 150 to 175 B.C. What was their sense of the size of the universe back then? What will telescopes 50,000 years from now - or space adventures - show us - how big this universe - or universes are?

We’ve all seen tiny grains of sand in our shoes or a single lady bug on a blouse or one of those tiny book bugs in an old book - just moving and moping along.

How does God see? What does God see? Does God see me - when there are around 7.2 billion people in the world - and billions have gone before us - and billions are to come?

Does God see me? Does God know me? Is God amazed at me?

The title of my homily is, “Amazement At The All In The Small.”

Does God know how many grains of sand there are at Rehoboth Beach, Maryland - or specks of dust there are in the Smithsonian in Washington or blades of  grass there are in Camden Yards?

I would hope my homily evokes amazement - at life - at God - at creation - and we praise God - give God the glory for life - for the all - the small as well as  the big all around us.

ANTHONY DRAGONETTI

I like to use the example of a short guy, a man I met,  named, Anthony Dragonetti, of Trenton, New Jersey. He’s now long dead.  I was in his house once after giving a Communion Breakfast Talk  in his parish - Saint Joachim’s in Trenton, New Jersey. We were sitting  in his living room. Off to the side was a cabinet of Boehm Birds. They were porcelain birds about 6 to 8 inches high on glass shelves.

I asked him what they were and he said he made them - at Boehm Birds near Trenton. He stood up, opened up the glass door of the cabinet that held about 15 Boehm birds. He took one out and handed it to me to check out. It was light, colorful, realistic. I asked him how much one of these cost. He said, “That particular one sells for about $1400.”

I nervously handed it back to him immediately.

I’m sure we’ve seen small bird figurines in homes worth that - or worth about $4 dollars.  Which one is more important: the 4 dollar one or the 1400 dollar one? Would it make a difference if we knew the back story on how each bird got there in the first place?

As I handed it back to him I thought of Jesus’ words, “You are worth more than a whole flock of sparrows.” I added in my brain: “You are worth more than a whole cabinet of Boehm Birds.”

A short time after that I was driving past a November corn field and a whole flock - a couple of hundred real life little birds - were making spins and turns - in an afternoon sky - turns more amazing than the Blue Angels over Annapolis.

Amazement…..

Sometimes I walk down a street and I see a dead bird - not that often - but a dead bird - and it amazes me. What happened? Do birds hide when they are to die of old age or what have you?

We are surrounded by amazing sights all around us.

Do we see how God sees? Do we see what God sees? Do I see what’s all around me?

BABIES  - YOUNG AND OLD

Aren’t we amazed at babies’ fingers and toes?  Aren’t we amazed at 75 year old marathon runners?  Aren’t we amazed at painters and violinists and music makers?

Yesterday afternoon I noticed the tears in a bridegroom’s eyes at his wedding when an aunt read out the name of his father who had died 4 or 5 years ago of cancer - and his dad wasn’t bodily present at his son’s wedding today. 

Yesterday morning I noticed the tears in a widow’s eyes  - during the funeral of her husband - who just died of cancer.

Do we see another’s tears? When was the last time I shed a tear? What happened? What was it about? Did anyone notice it? Did I talk to anyone about what was happening?

Tears - drops of dew - a grain of sand - a babies pinky or little toes - the wrinkles in a great grandmother’s smile as we celebrate her 95^th birthday …. Do I have a sense of amazement at the all in the small?

DANNY DEVITO - A LITTLE GUY

I always loved the scene in the Danny DeVito - Billy Crystal movie, “Throw Momma From the Train” when Owen, Danny DeVito - asks Billy Crystal if he wants to see his coin collection. Surprise he opens up a floor board and takes out a box of regular coins - nickels and quarters and a penny. He tells Billy Crystal where he got each coin - change from a day with his dad when they got a hot dog - change from a moment with his dad took him to see Peter, Paul and Mary - or Martin and Lewis and his dad gave him the change. 

It gives a completely different take on life and coin collections - and the small things we have and have saved.

What mementos do I have around my house that remind me of my dad and mom, brother or sister or who have you?

Next time we’re visiting someone in a nursing home or regular home - ask them about their little stuff - and see their sense of amazement - and catch your amazement at the stuff people save and collect.

ZACCHAEUS - THE LITTLE GUY IN THE TREE

If we hear the gospels carefully - we’ll notice that Jesus noticed the birds of the air and the lilies of the field. Jesus noticed that someone  touched the hem of his garment to be healed. He noticed merchants in the market place - who were generous and who were not.

In today’s gospel he spots a little guy in a tree and Jesus invites himself into that little guys house for dinner. Amazement.

And then there are those who see the small - but miss the big picture - because they are picky-picky-picky about things like that - and they blast Jesus for eating with sinners. Horrible.

A message that could be - without my parents - obviously - but also without God - this me would not be me.

A message could be - that Jesus wants to sit down and eat with little old me.

A message could be - to be amazed that Jesus knows me - little old me - and he doesn’t mind my sins or shortcomings - just my willingness to be generous and to grow - and help the poor - and can I say that I can express amazement tog God as I say to Him, “Do you mean to say, ‘You know I exist?’” and hear his loud, “Yes,” his loud, Amen.”

CONCLUSION

The title of my homily is, “Amazement At The All In The Small.”

Mass is a good time - to see the round - thin - small piece of bread - held up for all to see and to see Jesus  the giver of all  good things - the Lord of Universe and kingdom to come - in it - and in me when I am in communion with him. The small can be all.

To requote and reframe an earlier quote from this homily: “If you want to make bread, have Eucharist, from scratch, you must first have God the Creator of the Universe.”

Mass is a good time to express amazement - and gratitude - and a sense of giving God the glory for it all - in the small and the tall, in the   big and in the little - amazed that God is aware of it all - no matter how small we can be. Amen.

NATURE IS NEVER 

A STALE DONUT 

WITH A HOLE IN IT

Quote for Today - November 3, 2013

"What nature delivers to us is never stale. Because what nature creates has eternity in it."

Isaac Bashevis Singer, in an article by Richard Burgh, New York Times Magazine, November 26, 1978