Wednesday, June 8, 2016


ECHO   BLESSING

[At the outdoor Mass this morning in the schoolyard, when Deacon Leroy was preaching,  I could hear the obvious echo of his words off the buildings. I thought it was neat - sort of reinforcing his words - as with a yellow highlighter. I thought to myself, if I ever have to preach at this Elementary School Mass,  I’d preach on the theme of “echoes”.   About 20 minutes after Mass, Leroy asked if was going to the church service for our St. Mary’s Teachers and Staff - and if I was, could I do the final prayer or blessing? Surprise! Here was a chance to pull some thoughts together about the theme of “echoes” as they echoed around my mind this morning. So here comes a reflection and a final blessing entitled, “Echo Blessing.”]

ECHO  BLESSING


The words went into those tiny holes in the microphone.
They sped down wires - lots of carefully placed wires -
at the speed of sound and they bounced around - and
then when came out of the speakers - they were echoes -
bouncing off walls - and into our ears. Words…. Echoes….

The words echo into corners - sit under chairs -
and there they rest for a moment or sometimes
for years - words our mom whispered into our ear
going into our first day of school  - or our 8th grade
teacher told us in a bus on a memorable  class trip.

Some words echo it seems forever - a word with
a hurt in it - as well as an, “I love you” - when we
thought we were all alone. A teacher’s words in
school can white out [what’s white out?] a put
down by a parent  at home or vice versa.

A deacon’s words in a pulpit, a principal’s words
in the opening moments of a new school year or
the closing of a school year - a grandma’s words
at a graduation - a prayer- can remain as an echo
in our heart and mind and memory forever.

And may these words of Jesus continue to echo
in your soul each day: “Love one another as
I have loved you.” “Forgive 70 times 7 times.” “Turn
the other cheek.” “Go the extra mile.” “And I am with
you all days, even to the end of the world.” Amen.



© Andy Costello, June 8, 2016 

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