STORY TELLING
EAMON KELLY
Saturday, June 23, 2018
June 23, 2018
TELL ME
A STORY
Stories trigger stories.
Memories match memories.
Conversations - story telling,
like sparks from a fire jump up
out of your minds and our mouths -
when we take the time to listen
to each other. Unfortunately,
iPhones and television and
movies have done damage to
the most basic educational system
we humans have come up with:
telling stories to each other.
© Andy Costello, Reflections
2018
Friday, June 22, 2018
ORDER
It could actually be one’s deepest desire.
It’s this wanting what I deeply want.
It’s this wanting when I want it.
It's to be in control.
If you ask, I might actually say what I want.
At restaurants, at work, in the family ….
Who gives the orders around here? Make it me!
My will be done, on earth and in heaven…..
Oh, now I know why Christ got nailed to the cross.
© Andy Costello, Reflections
2018
Thursday, June 21, 2018
June 21, 2018
PROMISES TO KEEP
PROMISES TO KEEP
…. for better, for worse,
…. for richer, for poorer,
…. in sickness and in health,
…. in good times and in bad,
…. till death do we part ….
He never thought of the meaning
of these simple words till that moment,
as he was torn between past
and future, between his wife
becoming his wife that moment
and his parents twenty feet away,
and so he turned to them and said
with his eyes, “Thank you!”
and then without thinking kissed
and embraced his wife - and the
whole church clapped and his
wife hadn’t even made her vows
and promises to him yet - so now
it’s their turn to be repeat performances
of what their parents did for them before them.
Amen.
© Andy Costello, Reflections
2018
Wednesday, June 20, 2018
FAKE NEWS
ALTERNATIVE FACTS
17,345,067 Catholics, 18,987,583 Baptists, 1,783,756
Jews, 1,563,592 Presbyterians, 4,567,342 Lutherans, 789,987 Muslims, 456,734 Buddhists, 978,000
Anglicans, 3,458,087 Methodists - and many more folks from all sorts of religious groups and
communities, headed for these holding cages along our southern borders.
Then non-church going folks joined the march south. This
group was estimated to be well over 28,000,000 million people.
In all the different group there were young people. Parents
wanted to show their children what was morally wrong - and what one needs to do
when one sees sin on the borders and heartlands of our world.
In those groups there also were ministers, bishops, cardinals, nuns,
priests, rabbis, imams, and various other religious leaders.
In those groups there were mayors, psychologists, social workers and lawyers. There were small business
owners who were feeling the pinch and the loss of so many hard working people
who were grabbed by immigration officials.
They went by car, train, plane, bus, motor cycles, bikes, wheel chairs and on foot.
They marched right at these detention centers - in tsunami
sized waves of people - a gigantic wall of people - and the guards and police -
just stepped back - opened all the doors - in fact - most joined them - and
they rescued all the children.
Morality was in the air.
The Spirit of God blew through our land.
They embraced the children - held them - raised them on
high - brought them to the nearest
McDonald's, Wendy’s, Burger King, ice cream stands, any and every food place in
the area.
Doctors and nurses joined in to make sure each kid was
okay - and which ones needed to get to a hospital.
Then the crowds, smiling, laughing, toasting each other, started
to chant:
“Let’s make America
great
once again, once
again.
Let’s make America
great,
once again, once
again.”
Others chanted in
response, “Yes we can. Yes we can. Yes we
can.”
Then the people said, “Let’s find their parents and aunts
and uncles, grandparents, relatives. Let’s set these people free.”
Accountants, organizers,
people with computers and laptops, set up lines and translators to
figure out who these kids were - where their parents were - and how we can
connect each other with each other once again.
Something happened to America once again.
You won’t believe this. It’s incredible. The Lady in the
Harbor, the Statue of Liberty, smiled and started to dance, and her torch became
brighter than 10,000 suns - and her light could be seen in Canada, Mexico, El
Salvador, both Koreas, China as well as Russia - and all over our world.
Andy Costello,
and I take
responsibility
for this fake news
and
alternative facts.
June 20, 2018
Thought for today:
Bishop Boyd Carpenter in his book, Some Pages of My Life (p. 117) writes: “When we were leaving Liverpool, after my father’s death, I went with my mother, as she wished to bid `Good-bye’ to Dr. Mc Neile. As we were leaving, my mother mentioned that I was to be ordained before long. `Oh!,’ he said, `I wish I had know that.’ Then, coming near to me, he laid his hand upon my shoulder, and he said, `At first you will think you can do everything, then you will be tempted to think you can do nothing; but don’t let yourself be cast down: you will learn that you can do what God has for you to do.’”
(Hastings , Great Texts from the Bible,
New
York : Scribner’s, 1923,
p. 199)
Bishop Boyd Carpenter in his book, Some Pages of My Life (p. 117) writes: “When we were leaving Liverpool, after my father’s death, I went with my mother, as she wished to bid `Good-bye’ to Dr. Mc Neile. As we were leaving, my mother mentioned that I was to be ordained before long. `Oh!,’ he said, `I wish I had know that.’ Then, coming near to me, he laid his hand upon my shoulder, and he said, `At first you will think you can do everything, then you will be tempted to think you can do nothing; but don’t let yourself be cast down: you will learn that you can do what God has for you to do.’”
(
Picture on top: Class of 1965 on our
ordination day - June 20, 1965 - with
Cardinal Spellman who ordained us.
STANDING AT A CASKET
He stood there at a casket.
He put his hand on the priest’s hand -
the hand that made the sign of the cross
at him in the dark anonymous confessional -
as he heard the priest say,
“I absolve you from your sins.”
He then said in the dark confessional box
in his brain, “You heard me confess my sins.
Please bring them now to God our Father
for continued forgiveness - before I get there.
Amen.”
© Andy Costello, Reflections 2018
Tuesday, June 19, 2018
*
AHAB AND JEZEBEL:
THE BAD GUYS
INTRODUCTION
The title of my homily for this 11 Tuesday in Ordinary
Time is, “Ahab and Jezebel: The Bad Guys.”
Those of you who like novels and TV programs like
NCIS, know that the basic plot in many stories is Good vs. Evil - the Good Guys
vs. the Bad Guys.
Yesterday and today’s first reading from the First Book
of Kings feature Ahab as the Bad Guy along with his dangerous wife, Jezebel,
the Bad Gal.
Yesterday they had Naboth killed and they grabbed his
property.
Today’s first reading - 1 Kings 21: 17-29 - has Elijah
telling Ahab that Jezebel will be killed and dogs will lick her blood. That’s
what happens to her. She’s thrown out an upper window. Elijah tells Ahab the
same is going to happen to him and his descendents. Then near the end of today’s
reading, we hear that Ahab repents and
changes a bit - so Elijah the prophet then
says it’s only going to happen to your descendents.
It’s my opinion that the authors - the writers of the Books of
Kings - are writing and telling these
stories in hindsight. They take what
actually happened and then tailor the story to match the history.
THE REASON FOR A STORY
A story teller tells a story for a purpose - to get a
message across.
I would assume that the hearer and the reader hears the
story and looks at his or her life and sees where they are compared to the
characters in the story. I would assume that the moral of the story is that sin
is a boomerang - it comes back on you. Sin has a backlash. Sin has
consequences. Sin - evil has bad karma as some call it - and evil does show up
in future generations - bad example becomes us and family and others pick up on
our mistakes. That’s the bad news.
So too when good happens. That’s the good news.
THE SONG AND LITERATURE
These stories in the Bible show up in future stories down
through history as well.
I typed into Google last night the word Jezebel. Surprise
there was a 1938 movie with Bette Davis called Jezebel In this William
Wyler movie people could see on the screen and in the story a woman deal with
her life issues - including evil - but nothing as strong as Jezebel in the
Bible.
I also remember the Frankie Lane song, Jezebel. If
you are anywhere as old as I am, you know the song lines from that 1951 song
sung by Frankie Layne.
If ever the devil was born without a pair of
horns
It was you, Jezebel, it was you
If ever an angel fell, Jezebel, it was you
Jezebel, it was you
It was you, Jezebel, it was you
If ever an angel fell, Jezebel, it was you
Jezebel, it was you
If ever a pair of eyes promised paradise
Deceiving me, grieving me, leavin' me blue
Jezebel, it was you
Deceiving me, grieving me, leavin' me blue
Jezebel, it was you
If ever the devil's plan was made to torment
man
It was you, Jezebel, it was you
It was you, Jezebel, it was you
I’ve been on close to 40 retreats with our high school
kids. I noticed lots of kids listening to all kinds of music - much of which
doesn’t do anything for me. I wondered if listening to Frankie Lane’s song, did
that song Jezebel help any guy to
avoid Jezabel’s in their lives? Do the
songs people listen to challenge any listener to improve their lives?
Literature is filled with good and bad characters - the guy with the white hat and the guy with
the black hat - heroes and villains.
Or take the example of Herman Melville who wrote his
book, Moby Dick. Was his goal to subtly
get the reader to see if he or she was self destructing in any way. That book is mainly about Captain Ahab who
kills almost his whole crew. One has to survive to tell the story.
Sometimes we are our own worst enemy. Does anyone reading
Moby Dick see themselves as Ahab - both the guy in 1st Kings as well
as Moby Dick - and try to be a better person?
CONCLUSION
Let me conclude with a few questions.
Name a song that hits home?
Name a story - or a book or a good movie that changed
you? Who were the characters and why do
you see yourself in their skin?
* Picture on top: Death of Jezebel by Gustave Dore
* Picture on top: Death of Jezebel by Gustave Dore
Monday, June 18, 2018
I WANT WHAT I WANT
WHEN I WANT IT.
The title of my homily is, “I Want What I Want, When I Want It?”
That’s my take on today’s first reading from the 1st
Book of Kings 21: 1-16.
Ahab wants a piece of property that doesn’t belong to
him.
Naboth owns the property.
Ahab wants that piece of property - so he can make it a
vegetable garden.
Hey that piece of property is right next to Ahab’s house.
Naboth tells Ahab that the piece of property is part of
his family’s ancestry.
Ahab gets angry - heads for his bed - angry. He is so angry he won’t eat food.
Ahab happens to be the king! His wife happens to be Jezebel.
She asks Ahab her hubby, “Why are you so angry that you
won’t eat?”
He tells Jezebel about Naboth - that he won’t sell him
that piece of property he really wants.
He tells Jezebel, “I told him that I would give him a vineyard
in exchange for his piece of property.”
Jezebel says, “A fine ruler over Israel you are.” Then
she says, “Get out of bed. Cheer up.
Eat. I will get you the vineyard from Naboth.”
She then comes up with an elaborate plot. She writes
letters in Ahab’s name - calling for a fast. She has Naboth up front in a religious
fast procession. She gets two scoundrels to accuse Naboth of cursing both God
and king. They scream, “Stone him to death.”
They drag Naboth out of the city and stone him to death.
When Jezebel learns that Naboth has been stoned to death,
she says to Ahab. “Go take possession of the vineyard!”
And Ahab starts on his way down to the vineyard to take
possession of it.
Stay tuned for the rest of the story!
I want to know the end of the story right now.
The title of my homily is, “I Want What I Want When I
Want It.”
Listen to all the conversations that have exactly that
same plot taking place around our world each day.
I want that driver to get out of the left lane, right
now, and get over to the right lane. Uuuuuuuh.
I don’t want that woman dressed the way she is dressed.
In church? Horrible. Terrible.
I want that waitress to get over here right now. Where is
that hissy hussy?
I want that sermon to be shorter, different, and to cover
something I want covered that is in today’s gospel.
I want my children to have their children baptized.
I want that guy to lose at least 95 pounds.
I want my neighbor not to cut his lawn at this time in
the morning - when I want to sleep.
I want that check out lady to move it - to stop talking
to the customer three ahead of me - come on lady, do your job. Move it. I don’t
have all day.
I want a bigger house - car - a less chewy steak - and no
pains in my back.
I want what I want when I want it.
Sunday, June 17, 2018
“FATHER”:
SOME WORDS ARE HEAVIER
THAN OTHER WORDS
INTRODUCTION
The title of my homily is, “’Father’: Some Words Are
Heavier Than Other Words.”
Today the word, “father” is heavier than other days. It’s Father’s Day.
It has or had much heavier feelings if your father died
and it was his funeral day or his anniversary day.
And it all depends who your father is …. how much the
word weighs on you.
If your father died, who was your father - and do you
have anyone to talk to about him? Tell good stories about him.
If he is alive, give him a great shout out - obviously -
today.
Compliments, “Thank you’s”, appreciation, affirmation, are important for
every human being - on Father’s Day especially - and at least one good one
every week.
If your dad needs to be forgiven - some people have been
hurt by their dads - please try to forgive him. I know a woman whose father was
drunk all through her growing up years - and when she told her psychiatrist, that
she forgave her dad in the hospital when was dying, the psychiatrist said, “Are
you crazy after all he did to you?” She answered, “I had to. I wanted to. Don’t
you realize it was just what I had to do for me too?”
There are stories and there are stories.
If you are a dad and you need forgiveness - say you’re
sorry and ask for forgiveness - but remember timing is everything - and a
spoonful of honey is better than a barrel of vinegar - every time.
Cuts and wounds - hurts and recovery - rebuilding and
repair - all take time. Lots of time. Lots of listening. Lots of understanding.
FATHER’S DAY
What does Father’s Day mean to you?
What does your father mean to you?
Father can be a heavy word.
I know a man who talks to his father every night. His dad
was a single dad - who raised him. His mom took off with another man. He thinks back on his dad a lot - going to
the cemetery on a regular basis. Sometimes we need places we can go to for
certain feelings and memories and tears.
HERE ARE A FEW FURTHER STORIES TO TRIGGER YOUR
STORIES AND YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT THE HEAVY WORD, “FATHER”.
I’m only on page two of this homily - so let me present
some scenarios to trigger some further Father’s Day thoughts.
It’s Father’s Day 1970 and my father is struggling with emphysema
- his last year. He was 66 - born in 1904. I bought him a number’s painting of
the Last Supper - for that Father’s Day.
He loved painting close up work - as in doing windows and edges and corners. I figured
a number’s painting wouldn’t be too strenuous. About 9 or 10 days later at Moses Maimonides Hospital in Brooklyn New
York, he died. He was 66 years old. I took that painting back. He had only got to
number 3 - so I finished it in memory of him - as well as the funeral mass - which
was Jesus’ Last Supper - which we do in memory of him. I remember the painting being
over 53 numbers or so.
Question: How else and what else do I do in memory of
him? I know we both walk the same way - with feet pointing out.
My sister Mary and I are the last two left in our family
and I was talking to her today on the phone about our dad. She told me that my
dad bought these tiny rings - with my sisters’ initials inside them from
Tiffany’s in Manhattan - when she and when my other sister had their tonsils
out. When he got engaged to my mom, she didn’t want a ring. She wanted a watch.
So he got her a very delicate watch which he also got from Tiffany’s. “Suits,”
my sister Mary said, “he got Brooks Brothers every time.” I said, “Wow, I
didn’t know that.” She said, “He liked quality.” Then she added, “And this from
a man who never made over 100 dollars a week and had a 4th grade
education in Ireland.”
I was in Denver about 13 years ago - for a wedding. I flew out on Friday. I get
to the church around noon and there are about 200 men on line around a church
building. I asked in the rectory, “Who
are those men out there?” The secretary said, “Oh, they
are the homeless lining up for a noonday meal.”
I can still see that line. I keep wondering - after all
these years - how many men are there out there on lines - waiting to get some
food - and do their children know where they are? Did they just
get up and walk out - never to return?
Is that the story of all those cowboys out in the west in all those Western movies I’ve seen? Did their kids
spend their lives, wondering what happened to their dads?
One of my sermons was entitled, “What ever happened to
what’s his name?”
Obviously, I think about all the men I was with when they
pronounced their marriage vows in churches like this. Could I have done better
in preparing them for marriage and family life? Does God help? Does Church
help?
Obviously, I think about not being a father. What right did I have to do that - not doing
my part to continue - the family line? I am grateful for my brother having 7
daughters and my sister for having 4 kids.
Still I wonder.
I thank my parents for having that 4th kid -
me. Thank you mom and dad.
I just recently found out - this year - that my mom and dad got pregnant with number 5, but
that was a miscarriage - but it killed my joke to my brother and sisters: “The
youngest in the family is always the
best, because the parents finally got one right.”
It triggers the thought every priest hopefully feels -
that a priest is given the title “father” but he better live up to it. I
thought of that last Sunday night going to the hospital late at night - for a sick call - only to get there - and find out
they took the person to Mercy in Baltimore.
It hurts as priest - as Father so and so - when someone
complains - that I called and couldn’t get a priest.
It kills every priest when he reads in the paper about a priest
who abused others - ugh. Not too nice a day to hear that. There is a certain silence in the room when
watching the news with another priest or two or three - and the local news
tells about a priest, Father So and So -
was arrested.
CONCLUSION
Enough. You made your point. It’s Father’s Day.
As we heard in today’s readings, we’re all called to be
trees - cedar and mustard - giving fruit and shade - to others.
Sometimes we are green - sometimes we’re not. At some point we will wither and die, but in
the meanwhile, hopefully our lives meant a lot to a lot of people - like birds
finding a place on our branches. They nibbled and rested on us. Then they move
on.
And every tree - hopefully feels they helped - that they
were home - even if they were the tree
of the cross - some Bad or Good Friday years ago.
A PRAYER FROM YEATS
As Yeats put it in his poem,
The Land of Heart’s Desire (1894)
there is an imaginary land
“Where nobody gets old
and bitter of tongue.”
Well, Lord, I don’t believe
such a place exists, so
I know I’m going to get old,
but please save me from
having a bitter tongue.
© Andy Costello, Reflections 2018
William Butler Yeats
[1865-1939]
The Land of Heart’s Desire (1894)
p. 12
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