February 9, 2019

SOMETIMES WE DON’T 

KNOW WHAT TO SAY 

Sometimes we don’t know

what to say - or what to do.

But still we go to the funeral home

and we still go to the funeral.

We too have lost our loved ones;

we too didn’t know what visitors said.

Yet we knew the Body of Christ

walked into those rooms and held us.

We know Christ’s love is still alive.
It's in the hearts of those who hold us.

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2019

February  9, 2019 

Black History Month Thought for Today:  

"Did you know that the human voice is the only pure instrument? That it has notes no other instrument has? It's like being between the keys of a piano. The notes are there, you can sing them, but they can't be found on any instrument. That's like me. I live in between this. I live in both worlds, the black and white world.”

Nina Simone

February 7, 2019

Black History Month Thought for Today:  

“We are not fighting  for  integration,  nor are we fighting for separation. We are fighting for recognition as human beings ...  In fact, we are actually fighting for rights that are even greater than civil rights and that is human rights.” 

Malcolm X (Black Revolution)

A  RIVER  RUNS  
THROUGH  IT

INTRODUCTION

The title of  my homily for this 4^th Friday in Ordinary Time is, “A River Runs Through It.”

There is no mention of a river in today’s two readings - but last night - for some reason  - after reading today’s readings - I thought of rivers and their presence in our lives.

Next time you’re in a plane - try to get a window seat - and keep  your eye on the landscape you’re flying over.

On a clear day, you should see a few rivers.

If you’re on the ground and you have time, take the time to stop, to pause, to look at any river you just happen to see - any river you happen to be at - or at any river you meet.

If there is a bench there - that’s why it’s there - to  sit and watch a river go by you.

It can be a neat experience. It can be a learning experience.

There are a lot of rivers running through the landscape of our lives.

RIVER’S WITHIN

Metaphors come from realities.

We also have rivers within us - in our imaginations - in our understandings and in our efforts to figure life out.

So be poetic enough to check out the rivers inside our being - inside our mind, inside our memory, inside our imagination.

Pause. Pray.  Look. From time to time, check out  rivers within..

Inside and out - within and without.

I lived on the Hudson River in New York for 14 years of my life. I’d go down most mornings around 6 AM when everything was still quiet. I’d  watch what was on the river at that moment.  It’s also when I started the practice of dipping my hand into the water of any river I was at and make the sign of the cross.

Holy water fonts are everywhere.

I lived  on the Patapsco River here in Maryland - near Ellicott City - for  1 year  - 3 months. It wasn’t a scenic spot - because right nearby was a box factory that dumped chemicals into the water. Yet that river is still one of the memories in my life. I realize we have around here the South River, the Severn River and the Maggoty River.

So I’ve see lots of rivers from the sky, from bridges, and up close.

The title of my homily is, “A River Runs Through It.”

I can see a beautiful river like the Hudson or an ugly river like the Patapsco as they  flow through my memory.  

I’ve also done a lot of traveling - and the rivers I knew here in the United States - get me to spot them around the globe.

The Jordan River in Israel was a disappointment. The Lake of Galilee wasn’t - but it doesn’t send enough water into the Jordan.

I saw the Shannon River in Ireland as well as the Foyle River in Derry and the Liffey River in Dublin.  All three were beautiful - especially the Foyle River in Derry - Northern Ireland.

I’ve see the Danube, the Seine, and the Neva Rivers.

What rivers have you seen?

BOOK AND MOVIE

Back in 1992 a movie came out, “A River Runs Through It.”

It’s mainly about 2 brothers  - and their father a stern Presbyterian Minister - and the story of their lives.

It was a book first and made into a movie and was nominated for a few Academy Awards.  It won one for cinematography.

I saw that movie and I’m sure that’s why that title popped up last night - and I used to entitle my homily.

LET ME SWITCH FOR A MOMENT TO BUDDHISM

The Buddhists recommend sitting and meditating at rivers.

They would add just  closing your eyes and take in the rivers inside you. See your life gliding along and gliding  by.

Look at what’s on other’s boats - as they glide by.

See what memories flow down or up your rivers.

The short novel, A River Runs Through It, begins with this sentence:  "In our family, there was no clear line between religion and fly-fishing" and its last sentence was, "I am haunted by waters" ….

See your baptism at the river Jordan and on and on.

CONCLUSION

Thinking back  - where I really got this thought from is today’s gospel,

Herodias harbors a grudge against John the Baptist.  When her daughter dances and Herodias promises her anything, she asks her mother, “What should I ask?”  It’s then her mother asks for the head of John death.

Give the lady what she wants.

So she has him killed - and as the old saying goes, stuff on docks or harbors rot - they are meant to be made to be sent down the river.

The grudge she held in her stomach,  rotted in her gut. Watch your grudges and angers against others. Put them on a barge or a boats.  Then send them down the river and  wave to them till they go out of sight.

February 8, 2019

AT  SOME  POINT

At some point, 

Step Two happens. 

At some point, 

the other half of life appears. 
At some point, 
we wake up. 
At some point, 
we discover we are the surprise. 

At some point, 

waiting on line, 

sitting in a doctor’s office, 

in church at a funeral, 

being dumped by a lover, 

seeing one’s first child born, 

Step Two, the other half 
of life begins to happen.

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2019

February  7, 2019

CUTS

Some cuts just appear.

We don’t know when

we bumped against

something that nicked

our arm or our face.

Some cuts won’t disappear.

These are the ones on

the skin of our soul.

Someone just won’t talk to

us and we don’t know why.

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2019

February  7, 2019 

Black History Month Thought for Today:  

“I am an invisible man...I am a man of substance, of flesh and bone, fiber and liquids—and I might even be said to possess a mind. I am invisible, understand, simply because people refuse  to see me.” 

Ralph Ellison (Invisible Man)

February 6, 2019

MISUNDERSTOOD

There I said it, “Misunderstood.”

It happens.

It happens to everyone -

every once and a while.

Sometimes we can help

another by just listening.

Better ….  Underline this:

just shut up and just listen to

another when this happens to them.

The worst thing …. The worst thing ….

The worst thing to do is to make

the other feel misunderstood - again.

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2019

February  6, 2019 

Black History Month Thought for Today:  

“Not everything that is faced can be changed; but nothing can be changed until it is faced.” 

James Baldwin (As Much Truth 

As One Can Bear, New York Times)

THREE WOMEN

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily is, “Three Women.”

Today - February 5^th is the Feast of St. Agatha - and I’ll be reading the gospel for today - the 4^th Monday in Ordinary Time - Mark 5: 21-43.

I would like to talk about 3 women.

THE FIRST WOMAN

The first woman is the daughter of Jairus - a 12 year old  girl.

She’s the daughter of a synagogue official and she is critically ill.

The story here in the gospel of Mark is a wonderful story - with various tiny details. It shows the love of a father for his daughter. Jesus takes her by the hand.  The assumption is that it’s a story closer to the time of Jesus - because it has Aramaic in it, “Talita koum”. It’s about her - not Jesus. He asks the family to keep it quiet. That’s significant - because there is a large crowd outside the house. And lastly Jesus says, “Get her something to eat.”

THE SECOND WOMAN

The second woman is also in today’s gospel. She is a  woman who has medical problems - problems with her blood. She has had her blood problems for 12 years - for as long as Jairus’ daughter has lived.

Mark is the best of the 4 gospels for details. He tells us that the woman has gone broke with medical bills from doctors.

She comes up with a plan. Obviously she has heard that Jesus is a healer - so her plan is to sneak up behind Jesus when he’s in a crowd and just touch the hem of his garment and   be healed.

She does just that and Jesus feels his healing powers going out of him and into this woman and she is healed.

Jesus turns around and asks, “Who touched me?”

Finally,  the woman fesses up. She has been healed.  Jesus tells her to go in peace and be free of your illness.

THE THIRD WOMAN

Those two women are in today’s gospel.

This third woman is Saint Agatha. Today is her feast day. She was an early Christian martyr.

She was killed around 253 A.D.

The church presents 4 women martyrs for the 4 winter months: Cecilia - November; Lucy - December; Saint Agnes - January; and today’s saint, Saint Agatha -  February.

Agatha  was a virgin Martyr. She was challenged to give up her chastity and virginity  to a tyrant down there in Southern Italy - in Sicily. She was beaten and martyred.

Great legends and stories came up about these women saints in the church.

Here is the statistic that grabbed me about St. Agatha. Last night, when reading up about Saint Agatha I read that religious ceremonies and processions last 3 days at this moment in Catalania, Sicily. Two different articles that I read said that it’s the second largest religious ceremonies in the whole world.  Over 1 million people are in Catania in Sicily for St. Agatha every  February 3, 4 and 5^th.

I assume the 1^st is the annual pilgrimage of Muslims - the HAJJ - to Mecca. Over 2 million go there in August or so - for 5 days.

A big silver cart that  weighs 40,000 pounds - with a very expensive statue of   St. Agatha - is pushed through the city. Type into Google, Saint Agatha, for details - especially thousands of men in white pushing the carriage that is loaded with jewelry

CONCLUSION

That’s it. That’s enough.

February 5, 2019

NASTY

I never heard of anyone 

naming their dog “Nasty” - 

and I’ve met nasty dogs. 

But I did know a farmer

who named one of their

cats, “Hemorrhoid.”

“She was a pain

you know where,”

he said with a smile.

Now, I have been

tempted to nickname

various people, “Nasty!”

Why? Well it’s because of their

comments to my face - but

mostly behind my backside.

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2019

February  5, 2019 

Black History Month Thought for Today:  

“Healing begins where the wound  was made.” 

Alice Walker (The Way Forward 

Is with a Broken Heart)

WHAT  IS  JESUS 

SAYING  AT  US? 

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this 4^th Monday in Ordinary Time  is, “What Is Jesus Saying at Us?”

The key word, the key idea , is AT. Spell it out.  AT - as in “AT Us”. [Point]

TODAY’S GOSPEL

I read today’s two readings and the psalm - looking for a sermon thought or a sermon issue for today.

Today’s first reading is very heavy - talking about people being beaten, stabbed, stoned, killed,  and sawed in half. [Cf. Hebrews 11: 32-40.]  In today’s psalm response we have the word, “comfort” and one of these days I’ll preach a sermon about comfort - and our desire to be comfortable. Another interesting topic. [Cf. Psalm 31 refrain: “Let your hearts take comfort, all who hope in the Lord.”]

I spotted in the gospel for today [Mark 5: 1-20] a very interesting statement. Jesus and his disciples go to the other side of the lake. A crazy character approaches Jesus and starts yelling at him.  He had been living in a cemetery - in the middle of a tomb field.  He was a guy who was hard to control. He had to be chained - but he broke free from his shackles many a time.

Seeing Jesus - he screams out, "What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me!"

Then the comment that grabbed me: “Jesus was saying to him, ‘Unclean spirit, come out of the man.’”  Did the man hear him - sense him? Did Jesus hear his own thoughts?

NUMBER ONE TOPIC OF CONVERSATION: PEOPLE.

I can somehow connect to this experience.

After weather, sports, Super Bowl,  the number one topic of conversation among people is people - especially the people in our family - especially the people who bother us - annoy us - especially the characters - the crazies.

Someone said something that goes like this, “Dysfunctional people are less than 10% of the people around us - in our lives - but they take up over 90% of our energy and conversations.”

Wow is that true.

Now here’s where I want to go.  Think of a dysfunctional - a bothersome - a PITA  person in our life and come up with the number one ongoing sentence we think - we inwardly whine - we inwardly scream - about that person.

It could even be Jesus’ statement in today’s gospel, ‘Unclean spirit, come out of this person.”

It could be, “I just wish you would give up trying to be in control of the world.”

It could be, “Enough with the suggestions.”

It could be, “Stop the complaining - stop dragging into every conversation - stuff about the president, the church, the parish, the liberals, the conservatives, the young people of today, TV talk shows, etc. etc. etc.

Who is the first person who comes to  mind when I ask you, “Who drains you?” ‘Who always rains on your parade?”

Next what do say inwardly about - and AT  this person - inwardly of course.

CONCLUSION: 3  QUESTIONS AND KEYS TO THIS SERMON

What do people say inwardly AT you? 

What do people want you to change?

What  does Jesus secretly say at you - like what he said of this man in today’s gospel?

UMBRELLA  FOR  TWO 

They have been working together -

for two years now - same office - in

a large business complex in the city.

It was lunch time. These two males and

a young female intern in a smart suit

were in the elevator - going down.

One guy had his umbrella in hand -

like a cane. Upstairs looking out the

window, he could see that it was raining.

The other guy - who probably played rugby -

said, “Real men don’t use umbrellas.”

The young intern stood still and smiled.

All three got out of the elevator - and

headed for the front door. It was raining

and both guys went in different directions.

An older woman walking in the rain, had
a newspaper to cover her hair. He handed 
her his umbrella and she said, “Wow!”

He didn’t know the young intern was

walking behind him - as she said, “Real

men give their umbrellas to real women.”

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2019
Painting: Umbrellas by
Rauf Janibekov

February  4, 2019 - 

Black History Month Thought for Today:  

“Man, if you gotta ask you'll never know.” 

Louis Armstrong [1900-1971]. 

This was his response when 

asked by Jazz is.

REJECTION

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this 4^th  Sunday in  Ordinary  Time [C] is, “Rejection.”

I read over the readings and then ask, “What theme - what thought - is in these readings.

Sometimes I use the Bible text of Samuel, “Speak Lord, your servant is listening.”

The theme of rejection hit me - especially from today’s first reading - which has comments about Jeremiah who was called by God and ends up being rejected by the people. Next - more specifically in today’s gospel - which Jesus is rejected early on.

EXPECT REJECTIONS

If you run for office, expect rejections.

If you root for a team and wear their jersey or T-shirt, expect rejections.

If you write a letter to the editor of a newspaper, expect rejections.

If you write a novel - and don’t self publish, expect rejections.

If you wear a wedding dress, expect someone not to like it.

If you tell a joke, expect a boo, a thumbs down, or a rejection.

JEREMIAH AND JESUS ARE REJECTED

So both Jeremiah and Jesus are rejected.

In chapter 38 of Jeremiah we have the story about his being arrested and thrown down into a muddy cistern. His words and his message is rejected.

In today’s gospel the mob grabs and pulls Jesus so as to throw him off a cliff at the end of their town. Somehow his time has not come yet.

But Luke is telling us - as well as  the Old Testament - they are telling us that prophets tend to be rejected.

Just pick up any copy of the Washington Post or the New York Times or Time magazine and go through it - and you’ll find a report about some speaker out on justice and fairness and the rights of people being arrested and possibly killed somewhere around the world.

Speak out against abortion or gay rights and upset happens in the hearts and minds and pews.

Upset happens.

Rejections happen.

PRACTICE - PRACTICE - PRACTICE

As we go through life we get   various opportunities and occasions to practice how to deal with rejections.

I never dated. I always wanted to be a priest  - so I missed out on that opportunity of learning how to deal with rejections.

Classrooms, sports fields, every day situations give us plenty of opportunities to learn how to deal with rejections.

Living with priests - some of us having hearing loss - gives plenty of opportunities to learn how to deal with rejection.

The yawn is a dead give away.

I am in the midst of telling what I think is a great story - and surprise the other person yawns.

Or my story reminds them of a great story  they have to tell - and surprise they cut me off every time  and tell their story.

WHAT TO DO?

Today’s second reading from First Corinthians talks about love - in very practical terms.

It’s more than an emotion and a Valentine’s Card.

It’s patience. It’s not being jealous. It’s not being filled with self. It’s not being rude. It’s not being self inflated. It’s listening. It’s loving the other person.

It’s not brooding and being angry with those who are filled with themselves or happy when they are cut off or make a mistake.

It’s having confidence and courage like Jeremiah in today’s firs reading. He doesn’t allow himself to be crushed - when cut off or being rejected.

What to do?

 One thing I learned to do and it works is speaking up for the person who has been cut off.  I have noticed that I can calmly say - when the cutter offer takes a breath - “Wait a minute. Joe you didn’t finish your story. What happened?”

I’ve noticed that another appreciates that.  He or she appreciates acceptance and recognition and being heard. He or she feels someone knows I exist.

CONCLUSION

I remember hearing a sermon once about today’s second reading. The preacher said, “Everyone, it seems, chooses this reading from 1^st Corinthians for their marriage ceremony. If only they put it into practice in their marriage.”

Plenty of “I love you’s” help.

But plenty of listening and patience, avoiding rudeness as in tiny rejections [like not praising the meat loaf or the homemade bread] these are the stuff of love and making marriages and daily living work nicely.

Or as someone said: The glances over cocktails that seemed so sweet - don’t seem so sweet over shredded wheat.”

When they do, you’ll be getting a signal, things are sweet. - things are going well.

PETER AND  ANDREW

Once upon a time there were twins: Peter and Andrew.

Neat kids. Fun kids.  You’d like them if you knew them.

Peter was older than Andrew by 17 minutes and loved to brag all the time that he was the older  - and the smarter brother - because he came out of his mother’s womb first - when they were new born babies.

They were now 12 years old.

It was their grandmother’s 85^th birthday - and they drove 3  hours that Super Bowl Sunday to their grandmother’s house for dinner.

But first they went to Sunday Mass ….

They got up early  and made it to their grandmother’s church for the 11 AM Mass.  Grandma and her other son and his wife - who lived close by - and their 3 kids were waiting in the church vestibule for Peter and Andrew and their parents.

Mass was 55 minutes - so they were back to grandma’s house by 12:15.

It was a good day - parents talking to each other with their mom. Grandpa  had died 10 years ago.

And the 5 kids - cousins - played Monopoly and threw a football outside for a while. It was cold - but not that cold.

Peter and Andrew - the twins - didn’t dress alike. Some twins do that. Other twins - some of them hate that - but mostly when the twins are both boys. Their mom liked dressing them alike  when they were little - but not now. They were past that - at least that’s what they would say.  But they found themselves often thinking alike. Twins are often asked that question.

But there was one thing where they were totally different. Peter wanted the New England Patriots to win the Super Bowl and Andrew was rooting for the Los Angeles Rams.

They had made several bets.  Whoever lost the bet, that one would have to make the other’s bed for a week. Whoever lost the bet, he would have to take the garbage out to the curb on Monday and Thursday and bring the plastic barrels back to the garage when they got home from school in the afternoon. Whoever lost the bet, he would have to empty the dishwasher every morning for the next two weeks.  

Grandma’s birthday cake didn’t have 85 candles - but only about  2 dozen. Her breath was good enough to blow out most of the lit candles at her first attempt to blow them out.

The twins were looking at the clock from 3 PM onwards.

They figured they would just miss part of the first quarter of the game if they made it home between 6 and 6:30.

Mom sitting in the front seat of the car  - handed the boys two bags of barbecue flavored  potato chips for the trip home.

Dad - a definite Type A driver - drove very carefully  - both hands on the wheel  - all the way home - feeling a bit nervous about possible black ice.

After all he had precious cargo here - his wife Janet  and their twin sons: Peter and Andrew.

They were home - and in the house through the garage - at exactly 6 PM.

The twins headed for the TV set.

Dad said he was going to check  out some e-mails and phone messages.

He said to Janet, “Did you see my i-Phone?”

She didn’t  - then she added, “Maybe you left it in the car.”

Dad headed out to the car and came into the house with his i-Phone in hand and two empty barbecue potato chip bags - from the back seat of their car.

Dad screamed, “Andrew you’re the slob. You left potato chip flakes all over the back seat of the car. Go out and clean out the car and get to bed right after that. No Super Bowl football for you this year.

Andrew without saying a word headed  for the garage.

He knew his dad could be this way at times - especially after a long day of driving - and he had to do the driving.

“Uh oh!,” Peter  said to himself.

Then he continued  talking to himself. “It wasn’t Andrew. It was me - who was the slob. And Andrew didn’t eat any chips at all. He knew I loved Barbecue potato chips, so he gave his bag to eat as well.”

Peter heard Andrew coming out to the garage - completely silent - and heading for their bedroom.

His dad had calmed down - after his scream - after his whining - but didn’t welcome his son back into the room where they were watching the Super bowl.

His dad didn’t tell Andrew that the Rams were already winning by 14 points.

His dad could be strict - and be such a neat nick - especially when it came to the car.

Peter went to the bathroom at half time - but really to sneak into their bedroom to see how Andrew was and give him the score.  The Rams were only winning by 7 points.

Peter mainly wanted to see how his brother was.

Peter asked Andrew, “How come you didn’t squeal on me - that I was the only one who had potato chips in the back of our car?’

Pause.

Then Andrew said, “Didn’t you hear what Jesus did in the gospel we heard at church this morning?”

Peter said, “What? What Jesus said?”

Pause.

Then Peter said, “I was thinking about the Super Bowl and had no idea what the priest was talking about at Mass. Are you kidding me?”

Finally, he asked Andrew, “What did Jesus do? What did Jesus say?”

Andrew said, “Well they were all yelling at Jesus and they were trying to take him out of town and throw him off a cliff. He kept quiet and kept moving and suddenly at the right moment he snook off the road and into the woods.”

Pause.

Peter never heard this side of Andrew ever before.

Andrew continued, “So when dad started yelling. I kept quiet. I’ve been doing that all these years. With him, you can never win. I cleaned up the potato chips in seconds. There weren’t that many and then I slipped into here.

“And by the way I have this small radio and I’m beating you by 7 points.”

The End.

Ooops. When I woke up this morning I felt something was wrong. The ending of my  story  wasn’t right. So my second ending would be: Peter walked back into the lounge - and told his dad - “Andrew did nothing wrong. He didn’t have any potato chips. It was all me - who left the back seat of the car so messy.

That was a second ending.

A third ending would have the father sitting there. It’s now in the third quarter and the father stands up and says, “Wow was I not so smart in being so tough on Andrew. I’m going to go into the boys bedroom and invite him into the game.

I polled everyone and got votes for all   3 endings.