June 19,  2021

IMPORTANCE?

IT ALL DEPENDS

It all depends.
 
This cheap Timex watch
was my grandfather’s.
He gave it to me after
he went to see me play
in a high school football game.
We won on the closing play
of the game. Thanks Pops.
 
It all depends.
 
This wallet looks worn out.
That doesn’t make a difference.
My sister gave it to me
when I graduated from college.
She and my other older sister
both wanted to finish college
but didn’t. They loved that I did.
 
It all depends.
 
This painting was done by my aunt.
It was the last one she did.
She gave it to me just before she died.
You should see her other paintings.
She used to sell them.
I used to deliver them.
I got the last one. How about that!
 
It all depends.
 

 

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2021

Painting: unknown artist

June  19,  2021

 

Thought for the Day

 

“If it is to be, it is up to me.”

 

Anonymous

June 18,  2021

MY  HEART
ON AND ON AND ON

 

The waves kept coming –

non-stop – some days

bigger and louder than others.

 

Obviously - there was no ON-OFF

button.  I knew I had to accept

them living here at the ocean.

 

I could see them – every day –

but I didn’t realize till lately –

it’s the same with my heart.

 

It keeps beating – beating

non-stop – whether I

notice it or not.

 

Trouble is – my heart can’t

compare with the ocean. Unlike

the ocean, it’s slowly slowing down.

 

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2021

June  18,  2021

 

Thought for the Day

 

 

“Ruin and recovery are both from within.”  

Epictetus

WHERE YOUR TREASURE IS,

THERE ALSO IS YOUR HEART

 

 

INTRODUCTION

 

The title of my homily is, “Where Your Treasure Is,  There Also Is Your Heart.”

 

Those are words from today’s gospel reading of part of the sermon on the mount.

 

In January of the year 2000 I was sitting on a rock wall in Israel. It was about  3 feet high. It  looked  down onto a big field – that went all the way down to the sea of Galilee.

 

I was with a group of about 25 priests – on a retreat – and a tour of the Holy Land lead by Stephen Doyle – the Franciscan scripture scholar.

 

He would read a scripture passage that connected with a holy spot in Israel and then ask us to take an hour of quiet prayer.

 

That day was the place of the Sermon on the Mount – or the place that got many votes on being that place.

JAPANESE

 

Just then about 20 buses pulled into the parking lot – just outside the gate where this place was.

 

From where I was sitting I figured they were a Japanese tour group. I figured too that they were Protestant Christians – because everyone was holding a Bible. They marched down a road along side the field – stopped -and walked into the large field and sat down.

 

A leader had a bullhorn speaker – and proceeded to give a reflection – maybe even the Sermon on the Mount.

 

A thousand thoughts began speaking in my brain. They didn’t disturb my prayers – and thoughts that day about the Sermon the Mount.

 

I think of that day, that moment, that spot every time we have readings at Mass on the Sermon on the Mount.

 

TREASURE?

 

There are all kinds of guesses, thoughts, wonderings about this treasure in the gospels – here in Matthew.

 

Some think that the author of Matthew took a document – perhaps even in Aramaic – or it was Matthew Q – another theory – and put it in his gospel.

 

We have been listening to the Sermon on the Mount – all our lives.

 

Which text do we treasure?  Which image – statement of Jesus – is in the center of our heart?

 

It could be the Our Father – which Father John McGowan preached on yesterday – or the words about not being a hypocrite – but spending secret unseen time in our inner room – mentioned by Father John Collins on Wednesday.

 

The Sermon on the Mount was heard by a group of priests and a group of Asian Christians that January day in 2000 – as it has been heard by all kinds of folks – before and after that day.

 

CONCLUSION

 

Go through the Sermon on the Mount – Matthew 5, 6, and 7 – and magic mark in yellow – which words you treasure the most. There are many. Bring them to deeper and deeper prayer.

 June 17, 2021

BANK  IT

 
Picture yourself smiling, You’re 92.
You’re laughing …. You're loving it.
You’re remembering that moment
when you helped that little kid who
struck out 3 times in a Little League game.
Wow was he feeling bad sad …. You took
his glove. You took a ball. You told him
to grab a bat and you showed him the secret
of hitting from when you were a kid.  
 
You remember that time you gave
that little old lady $35 dollars. She
was right in front of you at Giant’s
supermarket check out counter.
Suddenly she  realized she forgot
her purse – and was totally embarrassed.
 
Or that that time you bought and brought
two gallons of Breyer’s Vanilla ice cream
to your daughter’s house on a summer
afternoon – because you knew she and
her kids loved ice cream - Breyers – cold - 
Natural Vanilla – made from fresh cream –
sugar – milk – and Rainforest Alliance
Certified Vanilla Beans.
 
You make a fist pump – at  92 - because
you realize how rich you are. You banked
a lot of love in your long and wonderful life

and you can withdraw a memory any time you want.

 

 

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2021

June  17,  2021 

Thought for the Day

 

“My head says ‘go to the gym’;  my heart says ‘eat more ice cream.’”

 

Anon.

June  16,  2021

 

Thought for the Day

 

“If there is no wind, row.”

 

Latin proverb

 June  16,  2021

MANY  CROSSINGS

 

Many crossings –
across winter fields,
rivers, oceans, to move

towards new lives – new work –

carrying bags, sacks and suitcases -
filled with hopes, dreams,
visions that life will be better,
much better – in a new place –
starting anew – planting, rooting,
raising a family without hassle,
without hatred, without harm from
those who don’t care about anyone
but themselves …. onwards – across
many crossings till we say, “Here! Here!
Let’s  try to belong here in this place.”

 

© Andy Costello, Reflections

 June  15,  2021

IT’S  FUNNY!

 

It’s funny
how he always seems
to be saying, “It’s funny!
 
Is there an alternative –
an opposite comment –
like, “It’s weird!”
 
“It’s interesting ….”
I guess we all see
so differently. It’s funny.
 

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2021

June  15,  2021

 

Thought for the Day

 

“Suburbia is where the developer bulldozes out the trees, then names the streets after them.”

 

Burton Hillis

June 14, 2021

MAYBE WE NEED TO LISTEN  TO  KIDS

 

We’d be surprised if we took the time
to ask kids what they are taking in.
 
Jesus told us to be like little children.
Maybe they know when the kingdom is.
 
Maybe Jesus went around with Joseph
when he went around to take on jobs.
 
Maybe he watched moms and dads
and how they treated each other.
 
Luke tells us Jesus grew in wisdom, age
and grace when it comes to life together.*
 
Maybe Joseph did a job in a house
where a father told him about his two sons.
 
Maybe Joseph fixed a broken door at
Martha, Mary and Lazarus’ house.
 
Maybe Jesus saw family tables
where bread and wine were central.
 
Maybe little kids went to Jesus as a kid and
told him about their worries about their parents.

 

 

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2021

*Luke 2:52

June  14,  2021 

Thought for the Day

 “The worst loneliness is not to be comfortable with yourself.”  

Mark Twain

June 13, 2021

LONELINESS 

Loneliness creeps ….
It happens – and you actually don’t know -
and maybe  you'll never know - when it started. 
You’ll know you  have something to do with it –
at some points – but after it takes over –
it’s hard to unravel its rust and dust –
it’s clog and caught. It feels like inner ugliness.
At some point you'll  need others – another –
to spray some spiritual WD-40 - on various
parts of you - that are dirt stuck – won’t move –
but that’s too simple a solution. You’ll also have
to scream “Help!” to God – and hopefully 
you'll  get to know your starting image of God.

It's great when you can hear a "me too"

or two - from a lonely God - but that's 

only a beginning. 

 

 © Andy Costello, Reflections 2021

 June  13, 2021

Thought for the Day 

"What  you think about yourself is much more important than what others think of you.”

 

Marcus Annaeus Seneca