VISITATION

INTRODUCTION

The  title of my reflection for today - December 21st - is “Visitation”.

That’s a theme in today’s two readings: Song of Songs 2 8-14; Luke 1: 39-45

Visitation.

Question: What do you reflect upon when you say the second joyful mystery of the rosary – which is: The Visitation.

TO UNDERSTAND THAT QUESTION

To understand what I mean by that question, let me go this way.

When John Paul II came up with his push for 5 more mysteries of the Rosary, I said to myself, “Oh no!”

Then in time I got used to how to handle these 5 new mysteries to reflect upon while saying the rosary.

I see the rosary the same as Muslims see a prayer rug. I take it out to tell myself  - and others – that I am now going to pray.

5 LIGHT BEARING MYSTERIES

When I say the 5 light bearing mysteries I go the following way some times.

For the first mystery: the baptism of Jesus I’ll think of 10 people whom I baptized  - one for each  Hail Mary – saying a prayer for them.

For the second mystery, Cana, I think of 10 people I married.

For the third mystery: preaching or proclamation I say prayers for 10 preachers that day -  at weddings, funerals, daily Mass, etc. for places – churches and retreat houses, etc.

So too that all people like Jesus move more and more towards Transfiguration – that 4^th Luminous Mystery.

And the 5^th Mystery – The Eucharist – that Jesus feeds us all with his being – and all Christians move back to the true presence of Christ – in the Bread – especially family members by name that they come back to Mass.

THE VISITATION

Okay, so that’s how I do the rosary – for all 20 mysteries.

I move it back and forth from Jesus and Mary to us – to me – and in that way the rosary becomes real for me.

So, for this second joyful mystery – the Visitation – the theme in today’s gospel, I’ll think of 10 great visits in my life – or 10 important visits people have or I’ve seen.

People getting home for Christmas.

People visiting neighbor in the hospital, the nursing home, the funeral home.

Lovers meeting  - rushing to be with each other as we hear in today’s first reading – from The Song of Songs – read at many a wedding.  It’s not always 1^st Corinthians Love is patient, love is kind ….

Or praying people will come back home to each other  - that family members will visit each other - talk to each other…. phones, skype, in person, e-mail, text….  Visits …. Visitation.

CONCLUSION

Life is mystery – mysteries – joyful, sorrowful, glorious, light giving - but not always.

December 21,  2019

OH NO,  NOT  AGAIN

Yes, it happens, over and over again.

No work … out of work … sorry ….

So,  we move on to the places where

there are “Help Wanted” signs in fields

and factories. And we get the jobs – we

get the money – we build the roads and

we build the buildings – we make the beds

and we wash the dishes – and then we

move on till the next place. Some of us

make it; some of us don’t. So, we drift

into shame and stereotypes and sadness.

Bullies and politicians – make fun of us –

get their votes and make us their jokes.

And few us remember this was our story

way back when – when we were young  

and when someone helped us up the ladder.

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2019

December 21, 2019 

Thought for today: 

“My very  chains  and I grew friends, / So much a long communion tends / To make us what we are.” 

In Sam Keen’s book, 

To A Dancing God, [1970]

December 20, 2019

FEELING  AT  HOME

Feeling at home - 

having a sense of home - 

can only be known - in the heart – 

at Christmas time – or when we 

come home for a funeral or for 

a wedding or after a divorce 

or a deep inner hurt – felt when 

sitting in a soft chair - or around 

the kitchen table in t-shirts  - 

or seeing a black and white photo – 

or a diploma on the wall - or 

when walking around the old 

neighborhood. We pause. We stop.

We know.  We breathe. We realize 

we’re comfortable as we suck

in a breath of old air.

We’ve been here before.

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2019
Painting: Early Sunday Morning
by Edward Hopper

December 20, 2019

Thought for today:

“You have  nothing  to lose but your chains.”  

Karl  Marx, Manifesto, 1848

HOW  WAS  IT?

INTRODUCTION

The  title of my homily for this Thursday in the Third Week of Advent is, “How Was It?”

In  the  second half of life, do we all look back on our life and talk to ourselves about how it was?

Then it’s nice if there is somebody – or somebodies - who are willing to ask us, “How was it?”

“How was what?” we counter.

“Our lives" comes the answer.

How was our life?

And then they listen – they hear us out!

BRENDAN

I remember I ran into a guy – Brendan -  a confrere – a Redemptorist – whom I sort of accidentally asked, “How’s it going?”

I didn’t know he  had just come back a week earlier from a 4-month Sabbatical at Notre Dame in Indiana. He had just made a continuing education program for priests.

I had time. He had time. He talked. I listened.

So, he told me all that he had experienced – side trips – football games – books – experts – learnings.

And he said at the end: “Thanks for asking. You’re the first person who did.”

I learned from that moment – seeing Brendan’s face and hearing his enthusiasm. So from then on: whenever I heard of a guy who took a Sabbatical,  I’d ask, “How Was It?”

I made that part of my life – to do that.

X

As I thought about that - I realized I still have a beef about something that used to happen during the 8 ½ years I was in Lima, Ohio. 

Myself and another guy used to do parish missions out of Lima - working as a preaching team - working in lots and lots of parishes. 

We’d get back from a parish mission and show up for breakfast the next morning – and one guy there would never ask, “How was it?” Instead he would be reading the morning newspaper – as if we had never left town.

That was one of those inner gripes – we never say – moving around in our inner cage.

Grrrrrrr!  Gripe!

 BARREN

These thoughts hit me when I read today’s two readings.

In both readings the word “barren” appears. Two women are without children – the number 1 answer  women answer with when asked “How was your life?”

Out come the pictures.  Out come the stories.

So, Samson’s mom – didn’t have Samson yet – to tell the world about her Rockyesque like son. So too Elizabeth didn’t have her son John the Baptist yet – to brag to the world about.[Cf. Judges  3: 2-7, 24-25a; Luke 1: 5-25]

We who have chosen celibacy – we who have not had children – hopefully we are not barren.  We have life to talk about.  I always like to ask teachers: “Did you ever have a student – whom you knew was going to become a star – and he or she became a star?”

ERIK ERIKSON

I have always liked Erik Erikson’s 8 stages of life.

I have asked thousands – stress on thousands of people: “Did you write your autobiography yet?”

At funerals of older folk, I like to repeat a quote I once heard, “When an old person dies, it’s as if a whole library has burnt down.” 

Imagine the autobiographies in this room – hopefully one or two written down - and all the rest are at least a talking or audio books.

Erik Erikson’s 7th stage of life is Generativity vs. Stagnation.

What have I done with my life?

Now this can be a dangerous topic – because sometimes some people never got  the opportunity to star?  It could be health reasons or what have you.

But for those who had the opportunities - hopefully we can all make a decent account of our stewardship.

CONCLUSION

So hopefully, with the grace of God we have not stagnated.

And the added beauty of it is, if we have stagnated, we can all change and come into the garden – in the last hour. Amen.

So the title of my homily was: "How Was It?"

Maybe that’s what God asks us when we walk into – the banquet hall – as well as all those who will be waiting for us.

“How was it?”

Knowing me I’ll say, “How was it?” That’s not the question. It’s,  "How is it here?"

December 19, 2019

LAST  NOTE

Sometimes the last note

from the piano player lingers

and sometimes it doesn’t last.

Just wondering what my last

note will say – my last song

will sound like – then be gone.

Love lasts – but so too hurt ….

I just hope my last note – my

last words will sound like love.

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2019

December 19, 2019 

Thought for today: 

“I  say  that  the  dead slay  the  living.” 

Aeschylus, Choephori, v. 886

JOSEPH:

A RIGHTEOUS  MAN

INTRODUCTION

The  title  of my homily for December 18^th,  is, “Joseph: A Righteous Man.”

Today’s gospel features Joseph – describing him as “a righteous man.”

Last night I looked up the Greek word used in Matthew 1: 19 to describe Joseph – and it’s dikaios.

Usually dikaios  is translated as “just” or  “righteous. This Greej word dikaios  - implies or puts a stress on “faithfulness” – or “truthfulness” – or “does what is right” or “this person does what God does.”

So Matthew is telling us that about Joseph – the name of the last  person in the long list of men that lead up to Jesus – Joseph the husband of Mary – that Tom read in yesterday’s long list of people gospel.

In other words, Joseph is outstanding – a good person.

What was Mary’s pet name for Joseph – Joe the Carpenter. How did she refer to him at the town well?

TODAY’S GOSPEL

As we heard in today’s gospel, Joseph protects Mary from being shamed – a strong issue to worry about  in a close, small, rural community – like Nazareth. It’s  population: estimated to be  around 400 people and one public bath in the first century.

Mary’s  pregnant – and she hasn’t been with Joseph her husband yet.

Joseph gets his strength from the message he gets in a dream – from an angel – who tells Joseph: “Do not be afraid. Mary is pregnant through the Holy Spirit – and the child she is going to have is going to save the people.”

He’ll be called, “God is with us” – Emmanuel.

That’s pretty heavy stuff and Mary and Joseph need to be strong to deal with this Salvation History and Salvation Mystery.

THOUGHTS ABOUT JOSEPH

Catholics have thoughts and perceptions about Joseph. He’s not Mary – but he’s prominent.

When I was looking up stuff last night about Joseph,  I noticed that Protestant theologians like Karl Barth wished Catholics would play down Mary a bit – so when Pope John XXIII elevated Joseph a bit by adding him to the Canon of the Mass in 1962 – Barth said, “Good!”

Some Catholics complained that John XXIII made that change, saying it was the first change in the Canon of the Mass since the 6^th Century.

Next I noticed that Pope Francis followed suit in 2013 when he added “Blessed Joseph her spouse” after Mary’s name in the Canon Prayer II, III, and IV of our Mass.

What’s your thoughts, your wonderings about Joseph?

Most Catholic churches have statues or pictures of Joseph. What’s your take on Joseph statues – besides the folk theory of burying a small statue of St. Joseph in the ground of your property, if you want to sell your house.  

I am no student of Joseph art – Joseph statues – so  I say without doing my homework that I noticed a statue of Mary and Joseph – as Holy Family – with Jesus – and it started to show them touching. I’ve seen it various churches.

It’s almost 2020 – that’s since Jesus’ birth – and the theology of Jesus as God – makes Jesus more than human – and Mary is a different human being.

The virginity of Mary makes it imperative that he is the only child – because what would a second child be – and who would be the father.

Yet Mary and Joseph are spouses – and husband and wife – so will theologians in the next 2000 years delve into their relationship – by showing Jesus not with a lily the symbol of purity – or what have you – and will heresies pop up.

Just wondering. 

CONCLUSION

Further time and research and development will bring us new nuances.

Research and pondering are good.

For example, last night I began wondering about the song, “If I Were a Carpenter and You Were a Lady, would you marry me anyhow?”

I got the thought: Is that about Mary and Joseph – since Joseph was a carpenter?

I found out it isn’t. It’s a song by Tim Hardin from the 1960’s and it’s about his marriage to a rich woman – and he’s a drug addict.

He died at the age of 39 – from a heroin overdose -but on research I found out his drug addiction started with his need for morphine after an athletic accident.

Message: more research etc. is needed on Joseph.

December 18, 2019

#1  MOTIVE

I was here!

Is that the #1 life motive?

I don’t know.

But I’ve often asked that question.

It’s a more difficult question than,

What’s my # 1 fear?”

Will I be wondering about that when

I’m by the door in a nursing home?

Will I be wondering about that when

I’m telling a story and someone jumps

in with their story telling us they were here too?

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2019

December 18, 2019 - 

Thought for today: 

H.L.  Mencken defined the Puritans from England as having “a haunting fear that somebody, somewhere, might be happy.”

December 17, 2019

I   AIN’T  NO  GOD

As I drive up the street.

I notice a squirrel

dash across the street.

I notice a sparrow on a white fence.

It was then, God,

that it hit me,

I’m noticing these 2

for just a spit half second.

And you God,

are looking at and are aware of

everything and everyone

for 24 – 7 – 365 – forever.

God, that’s a lot of mindaware.

That’s a lot of juggling.

That’s a lot of consciousness.

Why God, why?

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2019

December 17,  2019

Thought for today: 

“Everybody has the  right  to pronounce foreign names as he chooses.”  

Winston Churchill, 

Observer, 

Sayings of the Week, 

August 5, 1951

1947 

What was I like when I was 

7 years old?  It  was  1947.

I don’t remember singing 

or dancing or reading.

I’m sure I had football and  

plenty of baseball  in mind.

Candy and lots of sweets – 

were a definite hoped for?

So too Christmas and Spring 

and then Summer at Coney Island.

When I see old movies of kids, “I'm envious. 
My daddy didn't have a movie camera.”

Then again maybe I was spared 

and saved from what never was.

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2019

December 16, 2019 

Thought for today: 

“A good song gathers the years in.  It’s why you can sing it with such conviction 40 years after it’s been written. A good song takes on more meaning after years pass by.” 

Bruce  Springsteen

December 15, 2019

DEAF, DUMB,  AND  BLIND

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this 3^rd Sunday in Advent [A]  is,  “Deaf, Dumb and Blind.”

THE READINGS

Like you – when I come to Mass - I read the readings – say a prayer – for example, “Lord, give me a message for today – starting with myself!” – and then hopefully – something hits me  - something challenges me.

Today’s first reading – Isaiah 35: 1-6a, 10 and today’s gospel – Matthew 11:2-11  talks about the blind, the lame, the weak, the deaf, the dumb – those who can’t speak – and those with leprosy.

I narrowed it down to 3: deaf, dumb and blind – but I’m moving them to metaphors -  otherwise we might not look or start with ourselves.

We might be blind and think only think of Stevie Wonder – instead of the wonder called me – the wonder called seeing.

In other words, I can be deaf, dumb and blind to today’s  words from Isaiah and from Jesus in Matthew for today.

How many times in life have we heard someone say to us?

·      “What are you blind?”

·      “Are you  deaf?”

·      “Don’t be so dumb!”

And we have our lame excuses for our poverty. There are three more issues in today’s readings: being lame,  being poor and having bad or thick skin. But let me stick with just 3: deaf, dumb and blind.

Want to give a great Christmas present to our family, to our relationships, to our places of work:  Listen, See, and Speak Up, Communicate!

Want a great morning prayer: Go to a mirror – each morning - put our finger on your lips and ask the Lord that we  use our gift of speech today only for good, for building people up. Touch our ears and ask the Lord that we  listen well today.  Touch our eyes and ask the Lord that we see the people whom we’ll be with today – that we really see them and look them in the eye – EYE  and I -  I.

Want to look for a great Christmas gift: Find the 3 monkeys who see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil – in a statue or a T-Shirt.  If you can’t find the 3 monkeys use your bathroom mirror. Practice 5 times each morning: Hands over eyes, hands over ears, and hands over mouth.

The 3 Monkeys are ecumenical: we find them in Confucian, Buddhist and Hindi thought and if we swing around and monkey around, we can find them in Christian and Jewish thought as well.

And notice I’m pushing them in both negative and positive ways: using our mouth, our ears and our eyes for positive interaction with each other  - as well as avoiding hurting each other as well – with our look, with our hearing dirt, gossip, etc. or with our words.

CONCLUSION

Could everyone put your hands on your eyes, your ears and your lips. Amen.

December 15, 2019

SUNDAY MORNING AT THE BEACH

The ocean roars – spray and pound ….

Wave after wave after wave after wave –

keep sliding  in and onto  our beach….

Non stop – here at our water’s edge.

The sun this Sunday morning  shows distance –

boats gliding  by – out there. Cruise and Container –

Fishing and Pleasure. It’s Sunday morning –

Sabbath. It’s time to rest. It’s time to see.

It’s time to be with and at this Mass of water ….

We Shore Folks Are Alive for another day of life.

Thank You God. Thank You God. Amen. Amen.

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2019

December 15, 2019

Thought for the Day:



"The boughs of the oak are roaring inside the acorn  shell."