January 6, 2018 -
Thought for today:
“Then the sea
And heaven rolled as one
and from the two
Came fresh transfigurings of freshest blue.”
Wallace Stevens [1879-1955]
in Sea Surface Full of Clouds [1923], II
Saturday, January 6, 2018
January 6, 2018
ENORMOUS
ENORMOUS
To understand what enormous means,
poets might say, “Count the stars of
the heavens” or
“Count the grains of
sand on the shores of the sea.”
Obviously, sand and stars cannot
be counted. So is there another way
to understand and to discover just
what enormous means?
To see enormous, how about looking
out at night through a telescope into
outer space or through a microscope
at just one grain of sand.
How about experiencing forgiveness
from another whom we hurt with an
enormous mistake? Or how about the
love involved in a 50 year marriage?
© Andy Costello, Reflections 2018
Friday, January 5, 2018
ST. JOHN NEUMANN:
SOME
COMMENTS ABOUT HIM
Today, January 5th,
is the feast day of St. John Neumann - so I would like to simply make a few
comments about him.
It would be nice to have this mass at St. John Neumann
Church out on Bestgate Road - but then again I don’t have to clean the snow off
my car to get out there.
Next time you’re at Mass out there, take a good look at
the bronze statue of John Neumann in the church plaza. I
understand it’s pretty much his size and his look. He was a short man - and as
solid as bronze.
It is good to know John Neumann was here on Duke of
Gloucester Street for the blessing of the cornerstone of this church in 1858. I
assume there was the understanding that he would be here for its completion as well - but he was to die too soon.
I like to reflect that he visited Most Holy Redeemer on 3rd
Street on the Lower East Side of Manhattan - which was my first assignment.
Some factual questions hit me last night. I have to see in print if that
actually happened. I know he was at St. Nicholas Church on East 2nd
Street in 1836. I came up with a question last night - did he by any chance do
any baptisms in his short time there after his ordination on June 25th
1836? Those baptismal records are at Most Holy Redeemer on 3rd
Street.
John Neumann was born in Prachatitz, Bohemia - part of the Chech
republic on Good Friday, March 28th,
1811. He was baptized that same day.
He died January 5, 1860. While walking on Vine Street near Thirteenth he collapsed
with heart failure and was carried into a nearby house. He died almost
immediately at the age of 49. He was going to the Post Office or from the post
office to send a chalice to a priest.
He was the 3rd child of 6 born to Philip and
Agnes Neumann. His dad was a stocking
weaver.
His mom and dad were good Catholics. His mom went to Mass
every morning.
In those days the practice as Catholics was for parishioners to go to
communion once every 3 months - and confession every 3 months.
John wanted to be a diocesan priest. He went to the seminary with that in mind - but they had so many priests in his diocese of
Budweis - so he had to wait. When he saw notice that priests were needed for people in the United States, he applied and headed for New York - with the hope of being ordained over here.
He landed in Staten Island, New
York. Then he sailed the short distance to Manhattan on June 1, 1836. He got
accepted for the diocese of New York. That
June he was ordained sub-deacon, deacon and then priest on June 25th.
He was then sent to the Rochester NY area where there was only 1 priest - Father
Pax. Then he was sent to Buffalo - where his field of work was some 900 miles.
He was quiet, an introvert, a hard worker, dedicated, and
smart. He spoke German and French for starters
and in time learned English and several other languages - including some
Gaelic. He's listed as speaking 6 modern languages.
Fortunately, he wrote a sort of journal - not for
others - but to put into words his
struggles with faith, purity, envy, depression, the pits, and how things often
went wrong for him. This was done
between 1830 and 1840 - when he was 22 to 31.
He also was asked to write his life quickly - the night
before he was made a bishop. That document is around. He wrote that short document in one evening.
That’s it for any writings he did - except for business correspondence, etc. etc. etc.
If you want to read a good biography of John
Neuman read the one written by Father Mike Curly - a Redemptorist. It is loaded with details, footnotes and research.
After four years in the northwest corner of New York
State, John Neumann realized life as a priest was too tough all by himself up
on the Niagara, New York frontier, so he joined the Redemptorists.
He wanted companionship and community.
His novitiate didn’t work out as a year of novitiate
should. He was often on the road. He was always being asked to do this and to
do that. He was an ordained priest. He
worked in Baltimore and Pittsburgh.
After taking vows, he quickly became the superior and boss of the Redemptorists in North America and then he was quickly made bishop of Philadelphia.
People knew this priest was the real deal as well as being very real.
After taking vows, he quickly became the superior and boss of the Redemptorists in North America and then he was quickly made bishop of Philadelphia.
People knew this priest was the real deal as well as being very real.
Yet, he often felt inadequate. He suffered from put downs by others
who spoke English and comments that this priest didn’t have the right foreign accent.
He was a bishop who went to the outposts of the diocese -
all over the place, to little mining towns and what have you. He writes somewhere
that when he was a kid, nobody ever saw a bishop - except at a confirmation
every couple of years. Well, the people of the enormous diocese of Philadelphia saw their bishop - especially in the tiny spots.
I’d make him patron saint of travel - the patron saint
for those who suffer from feelings of inadequacy and self put downs - and also
regrets.
I’d also make him the patron saint of those who do a lot
quickly. As bishop of Philadelphia 80 churches were built under his auspices. He
helped the Sisters of the Third Order of
St. Francis to begin - so as to teach in the many new Catholic schools in the
diocese. He helped get two catechisms and in 1849 a Bible History published.
He was a real busy priest and bishop - and gave every situation and person he met, his best.
January 5, 2018
YOU NEVER KNOW
We never know what’s on
another’s channel - inside
their inner room - so we
better stop assuming -
that they are even watching
TV or they are playing solitaire
or praying - or whatever they
are doing. They might even be
taking a nap or writing a poem.
or praying - or whatever they
are doing. They might even be
taking a nap or writing a poem.
God only knows what’s
going on inside another.
They might not know either.
© Andy Costello, Reflections 2018
Cf. Matthew 6:6
Cf. Matthew 14: 14; Luke 22: 11
Thursday, January 4, 2018
TEST:
LOOK AT THE
FACES IN THE CROWD
Which kid in this class picture is Hitler?
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
About the top picture - here is what is written in the book, Photoanalysis by Robert U. Akeret. "Find the Fuhrer in this photograph. One of the children in this school picture is Alois Schicklgruber, or Adolf Hitler, as he later became. It's a typical fourth-grade class, like the kind any of us might have been in if we had attended an all-boys school. The difference is that one of these boys as an adult tried to dominate the world.
"Study the faces, the body postures, the positioning. Imagine for a moment that your are Hitler as a fourth-grader, and you already have some mind-blowing plans. Where would you place yourself as this class photo was about to be taken? Holding the fourth-grade sign? Close to the teacher?
"Hitler is in fact in the exact center of the top row, not only central, but also slightly higher than anyone else in the photo. "Deutschland uber Alles" was the German World War II battle cry, and in this early photo it''s "Hitler uber Alles!" What the photo shows, in all too chilling dimensions, is that Hitler's personality was set at a very early age." [Page 143] Further question: agree or disagree or undecided?
__________________________________________________
Do you often find yourself looking back?
_________________________________________________________
Have you ever folded your arms, disagreed, but didn't say anything?
____________________________________________
Can you find the 2 sisters in this Sunday School photo?
In the book, Photoanalysis, by Robert U. Akeret, we read the following about this picture which has the 2 sisters. "This is a group of Sunday school girls with their teacher. Look carefully at each student. Which two girls would you pick as being sisters? What clues would you use as evidence?
"Parents frequently dress siblings alike, even when they aren't twins, and here the two girls with the same tilt of the hats, and the same coat with white collars, are sisters. Now that you know, you can also tell that their facial features are similar." [pp. 64-65]
January 4, 2018
FACES IN THE CROWD
Whose face will you see
among all the faces in
the crowds you'll see today?
Who stops to look into
your eyes and asks you about
your attitudes and your moods?
Who wonders and worries
about you - where you are
and where you’re headed?
Who looks back over their
shoulder making sure
you’re okay this very day?
© Andy Costello, Reflections 2018
Wednesday, January 3, 2018
January 3, 2018
ANNUAL CHECK UP’S
ANNUAL CHECK UP’S
Check your eyes.
You might see more.
Check your ears.
You might hear more.
Check your mind.
You might think better.
Check your attitude.
You might understand others better.
Check your heart.
You might be neglecting someone.
Check your faith.
God might be going, “Ahem!”
Check your hope.
Opportunities might be knocking.
Check your charity.
Love might be sleeping.
© Andy Costello, Reflections 2018
Tuesday, January 2, 2018
INTRODUCTION
The title of my homily for January 2nd, is,
“Remain.”
The word “remain” appears 6 times in today’s first
reading from the First Letter of John
2: 22-28 - so I took that as a hint to preach something about the theme “remain”.
Now I’ve preached on this theme - “Remain” at various times - and I don’t want to repeat
sermons. Themes yes. However, we’re
being asked - according to surveys - to speak about spirituality - and schools
of spirituality. Well, “Remain” is a key
theme in John’s School of Theology in the New Testament - that is, the gospel
of John and the First Letter of John.
I think it’s a theme worth reflecting upon.
Remain … stay … be with … lodge … abide …be present …
stand with ….
The Greek word for remain is “meno”. It sounds like the English word “remain”. You can also hear the Greek word “meno” in the Latin word “remanere”. The English word - “remain’ - as in mansion - is dated from around
1400.
The Greek verb for
remain - “meno" - is used 40
times in John’s gospel but only 12 times in the synoptic gospels - that is Matthew,
Mark and Luke. So it’s a key theme in
Johannine Theology.
TO REMAIN IS A LIFE
ISSUE AS WELL AS A DAILY ISSUE
To remain or not to remain is a life issue.
Do I stay or do I go?
That’s a daily question.
How much time do we spend with another?
How long do we remain on the phone?
Yesterday afternoon I visited two people - both of whom
were in nursing homes.
The first was a guy in Somerford Place - on Riva Road. His
wife and a son and I figured his daughter-in-law were there as well. He was out
of it - failing a lot lately - and about to enter into hospice. I chatted, talked, connected with them. We
prayed. I anointed him. At some point, I asked myself, “How long do I remain?”
The second was a lady in the Annapolitan Assisted Living. That’s a
nursing home off Route 50, off Bay Dale Drive, off Old Mill Bottom Road. She
was much more out of it. I anointed her. She knew the Our Father. I have found
out those with memory loss know the words of the Our Father and the words of
Happy Birthday. Once more I inwardly was
wondering, “How long do I remain?” I
spent more time with her - mainly because she was all alone. I heard that her daughters come to see her
most every night.
LOVE OF GOD AND
LOVE OF NEIGHBOR
How to love God and to love our neighbor? One way is to
remain with them.
The gospel of John has in Chapter 1 the story of Andrew
asking Jesus: “Where do you stay?”
Jesus said, “Come and see.”
Jesus will say in the gospels, “Abide with me.”
Live with me. Abide in me.
Be like the apostles abiding in the Upper Room - as well
as being with the Lord Jesus.
Be like the grapes on the vine - connected - remaining
alive on the vine.
ONE OF MY
FAVORITE STORIES
One of my favorite stories was told by a psychiatrist.
I think all of us can connect with this story.
There was this old lady in a dementia ward. When the
psychiatrist would see her, he would first get a cup of tea for himself and a
cup of tea for the old lady. He would go into this big room. It had a great
window view - looking out to a big lawn and then the woods. He would sit with her and enjoy the tea. Now a
word was spoken in return for a couple of years.
Well on this one visit, the psychiatrist was sitting
there in the silence. He slowly drifted off into thinking and talking to
himself about where he would be that evening. The old lady - who hadn’t spoken to this psychiatrist in years suddenly
spoke up and said to the doctor, “Don’t leave me.”
She was saying: Remain with me.
Do we all know it when another is physically present -
but they have left us and left us alone in the room.
Is our conscious down deep aware of whether another is
really present or not.
I don’t know about you, but when I’m listening to a
boring or complicated sermon - I drift elsewhere.
CONCLUSION
The title of my homily is, “Remain.”
Prayer is sitting in the presence of God - and remaining
with God.
So too friendships.
January 2, 2018
© Andy Costello, Reflections 2018
STOP COMPLAINING
A teacher - whom I never expected
to be a teacher - taught me to stop complaining about the cold - as well
as the heat of the summer. The teacher
as the heat of the summer. The teacher
was the big tree in my back yard. It
just sits there. It just grows there. It
just exists there - naked in the cold
and in the heat - without a complaint.
just exists there - naked in the cold
and in the heat - without a complaint.
And I suspect, I do, that it won’t complain when it's cut down and becomes a chair
or a table or a door - or it simply becomes firewood. Now that’s a humble ending.
or a table or a door - or it simply becomes firewood. Now that’s a humble ending.
Monday, January 1, 2018
January 1, 2018
Thought for today:
"Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another: 'What! You too? I thought I was the only one.'”.
― C.S. Lewis [1896-1963]
"Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another: 'What! You too? I thought I was the only one.'”.
― C.S. Lewis [1896-1963]
[I plan to put a thought or quote for the day - besides a reflection a day - on my blog this year. I did a poem by someone else every day a few years back. This is a more modest self promise. Have a good year. "What you too?...."]
AROUND YOUR NECK
INTRODUCTION
The title of my homily for this feast of the Solemnity of Mary - the Holy Mother of God
- is, “Around Your Neck.”
ANTHROPOLOGY
Who was the first human being to wear something around
their neck?
Are there any paintings - and there have been a lot of
paintings in the history of our world - are there any paintings of Adam and Eve
where they have something around their neck?
I remember watching a documentary about the history of
our world - how we evolved - how we migrated - how we came about. Showing some
hunters moving along through the woods or mountain passes some early people
stopped to bury one of the group who had died. The narrator said this was a
jump in our evolution - to stop to bury our dead. To pause, to cry, to leave a marker
for the next time we come back this way. “Here is where X died and is buried.”
The title of my homily is, “Around Your Neck.”
Did someone take something from the deceased - put a rope
or string through it and wear it around their neck as a reminder of a loved and
appreciated one?
Who was the first human to wear something around their
neck?
I assume in classes and courses on anthropology someone
mentions the human practice of wearing medals and chains, rosaries, bones and
beads, shells and stones, around necks.
Thinking about this - while putting together this homily
- yes, in those National Geographic Magazines and Documentaries about
aborigines and native peoples around the world, often they are wearing stuff
around their necks.
TODAY’S FIRST
READING
Why am I mentioning this topic?
Well, in today’s first reading from Numbers 6 we have the
Aaronite Blessing.
Hear the reading again: “The Lord said to Moses: ‘Speak
to Aaron and his sons and tell them: “This is now you shall bless the
Israelites. Say to them: The Lord bless you and keep you! The Lord let his face
shine upon you, and be gracious to you! The Lord look upon you kindly and give
you peace!’”
I remember reading years ago that they found in a dig in Jerusalem two amulets or
charms that people would have worn. It was silver and in the shape of a scroll. The anthologists were very
careful examining it. They were estimated to be some 2600 or 2700 years old.
Next they figured from its size - the size of a quarter or a finger - and the hole
in it, that someone wore this around their neck. Next they saw that there was
writing on these amulets - and they were very, very, very careful in unrolling these amulets.
Surprise they discovered it was the Aaronite Blessing.
Did the person who wore it - were there many of these -
try each day to be gracious and kind and bring peace to those they met that
day? And if they did, did their face
shine?
TODAY
Today - January 1st - is a feast for Mary, the Mother of God.
Today is also called, “World Day of Praying for Peace.”
Wouldn’t it be great if people who wear a rosary around
their neck or the neck of the rear view mirror in their car - wear that - not
just as a piece of jewelry - but also as a reminder to pray for others - in the
various mysteries of life.
Wouldn’t it be great if those who wear an image of Mary
around their neck - hold it for a moment - say a prayer for the day - or a Hail
Mary - that they be full of grace - that they realize that, “The
Lord is with us today” - and do what Mary did - see everyone we meet as blessed
- accept ourselves as not only graced and blessed - but we are sinners at times
- and may that help us to understand each other better.
Wouldn’t it be great if we all prayed at least a Hail
Mary together each day for peace in our world and in our families and work
places and play stations.
And wouldn’t it be great if the father of each family -
or mom - or both or all said the Aaronite Blessing each day or each night
before going to sleep.
CONCLUSION
The title of my homily is, “Around Your Neck”.
I once had a wonderful prayer experience. I was simply sitting in prayer - and I sort
of spaced out - perhaps even falling asleep - and I picture Christ as the Good
Shepherd walking with me around his neck - like I was the lost sheep and he
just found me.
January 1, 2018
POTENTIAL
Happy New Year!
January 1st triggers
various resolutions,
which are triggered by our dreams,
which are triggered by our potential.
January 1st hits us with hopes
because of its feeling of newness:
new calendar, new year.
We don’t think.
Instead, we dream
that this new year
that this new year
I’ll do more.
I’ll march more.
I’ll play more.
I'll pray more - better,
I'll pray better with the help of God.
I'll pray more - better,
I'll pray better with the help of God.
I’ll use the gifts
I have been given more.
Amen!
Sunday, December 31, 2017
FAMILY CONVERSATIONS
INTRODUCTION
The title of my homily is, “Family Conversations.”
Today we’re celebrating the Feast of the Holy Family.
I assume the call is to look at our family life and have
a conversation on the question: “How are we doing?” And then plan and work to make things better
- if better is called for and agreed upon.
YESTERDAY - AT
A WEDDING
I got the idea for this homily from something a couple mentioned to me in a
conversation we had yesterday at a wedding reception.
We were just standing there talking - at the tiny food time - hors d'oeuvres - before the sit down dinner. It's the part of the wedding reception that I like the most. It's because it’s before
the blast of the music. It’s when people can talk to each other. “How are you
doing? What’s new? What’s happening? Haven't seen you in 100 years.”
Yesterday, this couple was telling me that they used to do marriage preparation. This
was years ago - up in New York - out on Long Island.
They said that 4 couples - who were to be married - would
come to their house for 4 sessions - on 4 different nights. Their two sons
loved it because around 5 PM they would say, “What are the goodies for tonight
mom?”
This couple said, “Looking back we learned the most from
doing this - more than the couples heading for marriage.”
How many times have we heard, the teacher learns the most
- the preacher as well - hopefully.
Another couple who used to do this in Chicago had told me
what they learned from helping with marriage preparation. It was this: the most important moment for most
couples was when they asked a couple to say their vows - in a practice session
- out loud to each other.
After hearing that, when I meet with couples, I’ve do that with every
couple. I learned.
Well this couple yesterday said, “Couples told us that
the most important thing they learned in their marriage preparation sessions with
us was the drive home after the evening
sessions. They said they would be talking about stuff from that evening - stuff
they had never talked about before.
If you’re married here's a question for you today: when was the last best conversation you
and your spouse?" What triggered it? What were the questions that came up?
How did the conversation go? Any follow up?
SPECIFIC ISSUES
In thinking about this - last night - while putting
together this homily - I asked: “What are the key topics for conversation in
marriage and family life?”
Obviously, the first question is the January government question:
“The state of the union address - the state of the state address - or what have you.”
It’s the “How are we doing question?”
It's a good, "New Year's question."
It's a good, "New Year's question."
My first week - in my first assignment - Most Holy Redeemer Parish - on
the Lower East Side of New York - a couple were coming in to talk about their upcoming
marriage. I had just got out of the seminary and I had no clue about marriage.
I was to find out I had no clue about anything.
That afternoon I just happened to pick up the New York Daily News and the Inquiring Photographer was a regular
feature in that paper. A question was asked and 4 people would answer it. It was underneath their photograph. Well, that day the
question was about marriage and someone said, “The top three problems
in marriage are: money, sex and in-laws.” Well, I told that couple that comment
that night and they paused and said, “Wow! You’re right.” That was 1967. Is that still right?
There’s a specific question for a couple to begin a conversation with:
“What are our three top questions.”
When I am on Kairos' Retreats with our high school kids - St.
Mary’s Kids - I’ve been on 34 of them so far - and a lot more retreats - with a
lot more people before coming here - one of my first questions I ask kids in any small group I get: “What do
meals look like in your family?”
I think every family needs to reflect on that question.
My second question would be “expectations”.
What do we expect around here?
Then after getting expectations - I like to ask people to add adjectives.
Key adjectives would be: unrealistic, unknown [as in I
didn’t know that - or you never brought that up before]. Other adjectives would be: fair, unfair,
changed….
The third question would be a fishing expedition. Okay,
what else do we need to address. This could
bring up topics like time together, vacations, the Sabbath, anger, aging
parents, money, costs, cleaning and chores, etc. etc. etc.
TO BE PRACTICAL
It might seem crazy, impractical - but I think families
and/or couples should meet once a month - go for an hour or less - never going
over 1 hour - having one person by name in charge as monitor - and having one other member - as secretary with a spiral note pad
- and hopefully at a second meeting - the notes from that earlier meeting will be
read out for starters.
Let's be honest, we don't follow up.
Let's be honest, we don't follow up.
CONCLUSION
The title of my homily is, “Family Conversations.”
Have you ever said in frustration: this place is a zoo.
We have elephants in our living room, alligators in our basement, pit bulls
roaming the house and as a result we have stuff that needs to be cleaned up - and there is no plastic bag big enough for the clean up.
As a family, why not talk about having that conversation - about having Family Conversations?
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