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Saturday, June 9, 2018
June 9, 2018
RELICS
Even if there are no fingerprints
or indications on a rock or a piece
of wood - every pebble, every twig,
every everything - is a holy relic.
Each - whatever this is - is a relic
with a story - a chip off the old block -
and can lead us to pause, to pray,
to a sense of the sacred, to know God.
© Andy Costello, Reflections 2018
Friday, June 8, 2018
June 8, 2018
JUDGING OTHERS
Stop judging me.
You do it all the time.
I know - because I do it too.
But you have no clue why
I like butter almond ice cream
or why I like to put cold butter
with my peanut butter on rye bread.
You don’t know the why of my why’s
and most of the time I don’t either.
© Andy Costello, Reflections
2018
Thursday, June 7, 2018
BOUNCE EFFECT
Of course there is the bounce effect ….
Smiles beget smiles ….
Sound bounces off walls -
echoes in rooms
and down the halls ….
Cells, microbes, germs, viruses,
squeeze against each other - as
people do in a a NYC subway car
people do in a a NYC subway car
at 8:02 - on a going to work morning ….
Anger, screams, slamming noises
begets more and more angry noises ….
Every word - all aggression -
doesn’t just happen -
it’s loaded with
the garbage barges
of nasty smells from up river ….
So let me place these words
like a paper boat on the water
and let them float till they bounces into you ....
© Andy Costello, Reflections
2018
June 7, 2018
Thought for today:
“People ‘died’ all the time …. Parts of them died when they made the wrong kinds of decisions -
decisions against life. Sometimes they
died bit by bit until finally they were just living corpses walking
around. If you were perceptive you could
see it in their eyes; the fire had gone out … you always knew when you made a
decision against life…. The door clicked and you were safe inside - safe and
dead.”
Anne Morrow Lindbergh
Wednesday, June 6, 2018
June 6, 2018
THE NEXT MORNING
We woke up the next morning -
hearing on the radio that
Bobby Kennedy had been shot
and killed the night before ….
Martin Luther King had been
shot a few months earlier -
That’s two - two too many.
1968 was a bad year for USA.
Now it’s kids in classrooms and
people at parties and concerts.
As Judy Collins and Joan Baez
sang, “When will we ever learn?”
© Andy Costello, Reflections 2018
Tuesday, June 5, 2018
June 5, 2018
MATTHEW 6:26, 28
Jesus, said, look at the birds of the air,
so I looked. Drones before drones,
planes before planes, birds soaring,
never boring, sliding down sleeves
of sky, riding on invisible alleys of air.
Jesus, said, look at the flowers of the field,
so I looked. Color before crayons,
statues before statues, dancing, waving,
gracing our world, scenting our air,
gifting us with soft silent silk beauty.
© Andy Costello, Reflections 2018
Cf. Matthew 6:26;
Mathew 6: 28
St. Boniface, Mainz
by Cornelius Floemaert
SAINT BONIFACE
The title of my thoughts is, “Saint Boniface.”
His regular name was Wynfrid - but that was changed to
Boniface - by a pope. It means, “Do
Good!”
That might be a great message for all of us each morning:
Do Good!”
I don’t remember ever saying anything about Saint
Boniface in a sermon - so for a change of pace, I’d like to make a few comments
about St. Boniface - today on his feast day.
He was a missionary.
He was a Benedictine who spent most of his life as a priest and bishop
on the road.
He was an Englishman - but wanted to spend his life as a
missionary in mainland Europe. He ends up being the Patron Saint of Germany.
In a way, he does not fulfill Jesus’ words about rending
to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s - as we heard in today’s
gospel. He was much more directly connected the Carolingians - descendents of
Charlemagne and connected to Charles Martel and Pippin - names we might remember from our high
school classroom days with European
history. The name I always remember is
Pippin the Short. I liked names
like that. I also remember Charles the Bald.
Boniface’s dates are c.
675 till June 5, 754. So he’s a
bright light in a dim or dark age period of history.
He founded monasteries and dioceses and he did a lot of
things Rome was hoping he would do in
mainland Europe.
There are 40 some copies of a life of Boniface from a guy
named Willibroard - 4 of which are thought to be direct from the originals.
Saint Boniface's feast day is celebrated on June 5th "in the Roman Catholic Church, the Lutheran Church, the Anglican Communion, and the Eastern Orthodox Church".
There are some 140 Letters of Boniface - but we don’t have
the return letter or the letter they are answering.
He was murdered along with a group of other missionaries
and monks on this day in 754. He was
reading the scriptures at the time of the murder.
He is pictured with a sword going through a bible he had
in hand.
No it didn’t save him, but he preached it to help bring
salvation to others.
After his death he becomes well known in both Germany and
England.
There are churches in his name in England as well as
Germany.
We Redemptorists had a German national church in his name
in Philly - but like so many churches people moved out and moved on.
So that’s a few ideas about Saint Boniface.
He had some problems with Irish Missionaries over in
Germany - but I don’t to go there.
Monday, June 4, 2018
SELF-CONTROL
INTRODUCTION
The title of my homily for this 9th Monday in
Ordinary Time is, “Self-Control”.
That word, “self-control” appears two times here in 2
Peter 1:6 - part of today’s first
reading. It’s the English translation for the Greek word “egkrateia”. The root word is “kratos” strength - power -
control.
MAJOR LIFE ISSUE
Control is a major life issue.
What are your thoughts about the issue of control. I
think it’s worth thinking and talking about it from time to time.
Control: who has the wheel? Who is doing the
driving? The other person might be doing
the driving, but sometimes the other is a back seat or other seat driver? If you’re not the driver, do you find yourself
trying to control the driving. Do you tend to say, “Slow down! You’re driving
too fast.” When we have these automatic
cars - how will those who need to be in control deal with that?
So control, being in control, power and who has the power around here, are
main life issues.
SOCRATES
When reading up on this, I read someone saying that three
disciples or followers of Socrates,
Plato, Xenophon and Isocrates - developed and moved the idea of egkrateia - from
control to self-control. They moved the meaning of egkrateia from power over
things - and others - to self-discipline
- self-control - in dealing with oneself.
So self-control is also a major life issue.
It takes in control of our own passions - emotions -
drives - feelings - and instincts
It’s worth thinking and talking about it from time to
time. How about today for 3 minutes in this homily?
THE ENCRATITES
In the second and especially the 3rd century
there were people who were labeled and called, “The Encratites.”
They were called heretics by the church - as well as by
various church writers and teachers.
The issue of controlling one’s passions is often a life
issue.
Another group that got into control issues were the
Manichaes.
Augustine was a Manichaean for a while.
They and the Encratites were very strict when it came to
sex - publically.
Privately could be another story.
Encratites went against marriage - and alcohol - etc.
They went out of existence.
I love to quote Groucho Marx’s words, “If your parents
didn’t have any kids, chances are you won’t either.”
It could be stated, “If your parents didn’t have sex,
chances are you are not here today.”
I remember visiting the Cloister in Ephrata PA. They
practiced celibacy. Surprise they went out of existence.
Religious orders in the Catholic Church practice celibacy. Our story is that we have to get members from
the married folks amongst us. It prevents inbreeding: priests and nuns having
children who become priests and nuns and on and on and on.
STRICT SELF CONTROL
We have all met or sensed people in our church who were
off on self-control.
It shows up in clothing at times - for example in the
issue of modesty.
We see this in Islam right now - with women having to
cover themselves almost completely.
I remember going to the Vatican twice and women had to
cover arms and men couldn’t wear shorts - but had to buy paper pants for the
moment.
I’m not going to get into this - because it can be a
button pusher - yet it’s part of the
issue of self-control - the issue I noticed there in today’s first reading.
CONCLUSION
I like the idea of moving the issue of self-control to
self - as opposed to being on the lookout for modesty and purity police.
So I think history teaches us that the finger pointing
better go towards self - as in self-control - compared to controlling others.
I also have experienced that sometimes the strictest
persons in our church and our world might be fighting themselves - but they
think they are fighting others. I am not surprised when the ultra-sexuality police
are sometimes caught messing around on the side.
The image that has always hit me is that of those Styrofoam
pool things. The further you push them down into the water in the pool, the
more powerful is their shooting up out of the water. The more people deny they
are emotional, sexual, feeling, eating people, the more we might mess ourselves
up.
Let me end there. I think that’s enough already.
June 4, 2018
CROSSES
ON WALLS
I spot them in movies and hospitals,
nursing homes and classrooms.
Okay, I’m Catholic - so you can say,
“I’d expect there would be crosses.”
If I have time - I like to listen to what
Jesus is hearing hanging there on a cross.
“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me.”
“Father forgive them for not visiting me.”
Or, “What you too? Been there. Done that,
Felt that. Known
that. Okay, only for 3 hours.”
© Andy Costello, Reflections
2018
Sunday, June 3, 2018
WHAT DOES THE MASS
MEAN TO YOU?
INTRODUCTION
The title of my homily is, “What Does The Mass Mean To
You?”
Today is the Feast of the Most Holy Body and Blood of
Christ - so I thought it might be a good moment to ask all of us to sum up what
the Mass means to us. What are we doing here today? Why are we here?
How have we changed in our understanding, how have we
developed our thoughts about the Mass, down through the years?
What have been our key Mass understandings - our key experiences
about the Mass and the Masses we have
been to?
This would be better to do in small groups. I suggest you do it at home, at meals, in the
car - together. What does the Mass mean to you?
It’s a good question.
BOOK
I have a whole book on the Mass. I finished writing it
about 10 years ago. It is 317 pages long - 14 pica. It has 113 short chapters
2, 3, sometimes 4 pages long. It has 79,404 words.
Now that would be a long homily.
I sent it to 3 or 4 publishers. Each rejected it. One of
these days I’ll get at it again - revamp it - up date it - change it - and
discover what I have learned more or different about the Mass since I finished
that book 10 years ago.
Looking for time…. Looking for energy.
I met a guy at a funeral lately who writes pulp novels. He said if you sell 500 - paperback books - that’s not bad.
I met a guy at a funeral lately who writes pulp novels. He said if you sell 500 - paperback books - that’s not bad.
I didn’t tell him, but I disagreed with him - knowing
editors want to sell a lot more than 500 copies of a book. All the books I
wrote are all out of print, but each sold at least 1000 copies - one 60,000.
So one of these days I’m going to get back to that - but
real live work with people is more important and more in demand.
The title of this homily, “What Does the Mass Mean to
You?” triggered this renewed interest in getting this book published by some
company. I don’t do self-publishing.
So once more, what does the Mass mean to you?
Let me see if I can come up with 3 answers for my latest homework.
FIRST: DO THIS IN MEMORY OF ME
Why are we here right now? What’s the meaning of all
this?
First answer: we’re doing this in memory of Jesus.
At the Last Supper - which was a Passover Meal - Jesus
took bread. Jesus took wine. Jesus said, “This is my body. This is my blood.
I’m giving my body, I’m giving my blood for you and to you. Do this in memory of me.”
I asked myself: Is there anything I’m doing in memory of
someone else?
My mother used to make and bake delicious Irish Soda
Bread - which we kids would deliver to various relatives and friends in our
neighborhood growing up in Brooklyn. My sister Peggy somewhere along the line
in her last assignment as a nun in Scranton, Pennsylvania, used to make two
dozen or so loaves of Irish Soda Bread around Christmas time and St. Patrick’s
time and bring them to old nuns - in memory of what my mom did.
I was trying to remember what I do in memory of
others. I like to send e-mails or a card
on the anniversary of the death of loved ones. Like June is the anniversary of
my dad - June 26, 1970 - and my nephew Michael - June 14th, 1977.
So that’s another way of asking what does the Mass mean
to us. What do we do in memory of others - besides coming to Mass in memory of
Jesus - to keep his memory alive on the planet.
SECOND: FOOD GLORIOUS FOOD
It’s not by accident that Jesus chose a meal to give us
his final thoughts. It was his last
supper. He was passing over to life beyond this life.
Resurrection from the dead is essential to the Mass.
Food is essential to life.
Without food we die.
When we gather, we eat.
Can I get you something?
Eating with each other is essential to being with each
other.
Eating is essential to being in communion with another.
It’s hard to eat with someone we can’t stomach.
What’s it like to be in a very small town and the church
is very, very small? What happens on Sunday morning when one family -
especially relatives or neighbors - can’t stand, can’t understand, can’t
stomach each other?
It’s the same as what happens at some weddings. The ones who do the seating better know who
isn’t getting along with whom.
Kids who stop eating with the family - stop going to Mass
with the family.
So food is all about communion.
It’s ugly when we excommunicate each other.
THIRD AND LAST: TALKING WITH EACH OTHER
Talking with each other is essential to eating with each
other.
Breakfast, lunch, supper, coffee breaks…. What’s going
on? What plans do you have for today? How was your day?
The Mass is loaded with words.
Words become flesh.
The Mass has sacred readings and sacred words.
This is my body…. This is my blood …. These are my words.
I’m giving me to you. I’m digesting what you are saying.
When was the last time we sat at table with another for
an hour or two after the meal?
Last night I sat with Father William from 6 till
7:20. We could have been finished at 6:15.
We’re all running?
We have our schedules?
On our high school retreats we break into small
groups. I ask kids what’s it like in
your home at meal time? Some families eat together. Some families don’t.
On our high school retreats, I’ve noticed that they have
collected phones for the retreat - and give them back - on the way back. Phones
are great for connecting and telling family we’re on our way home.
I have heard enough folks like me say, “Please be with
the people you’re with - not with someone on a phone miles away - right in the
middle of a meal - with others.”
I also know we can be with others - look them in the face -
have a phone in one’s pocket - but be 1000 miles away in our mind - and inner
conversation. I do that all the time.
People confess distractions in prayer - but never confess distractions
and disappearing from others whom we’re talking with.
I have to preach a lot - and I have to listen a lot. I know it’s hard to catch others attention
and to catch my attention.
Did you know chapters 13, 14, 15, 16, and 17 of John are
words from the Last Supper - but they don’t bring in the words of
consecration. Those words are in Matthew, Mark, Luke and Paul.
Meals are all about the food and the people around the
table - their body and blood - but a
meal is all about the words at the table,
Ears and mouth - chewing and digesting each other -
listening and talking - basic, very basic, going to communion with each other.
CONCLUSION
So my question for this rainy day: What does the Mass mean
to you?
June 3, 2018
LAZARUS AT OUR DOOR
Sitting there
leaning against a door,
starving, begging for
a dollar or just 3 quarters
starving, begging for
a dollar or just 3 quarters
and you walked by.
Sitting there
leaning against a door
begging for some recognition
or just a simple, “Hi!”
"Hell" you just walked by.
© Andy Costello, Reflections 2018
Cf. Luke 16: 19-31
Cf. Noticing Lazarus at Our Door,
by John Lavin,
C.Ss.R,
Reflections of a
Priest with
Forty Years of
Hispanic Ministry
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