February 19, 2022

Reflection

February  19,  2022

 

Thought for Today

 

“A farmer whose corn crop hadn’t done well decided to ‘borrow’ from his prosperous neighbor’s field.
 
“With a large sack tucked under his arm, and his son dogging his footsteps, he turned to a distant corner of the field.
 
“On arrival, he looked cautiously to the left, to the right, ahead and behind, to make sure he was not observed.
 
“Just as he reached out a hand to pluck the first ear of corn, the lad spoke, ‘Daddy,’ he said, ‘you didn’t look up.’”

 

Ruth A Pray

 February 18, 2022

Reflection

 February 18,  2022

 Thought for Today

 

“All philosophy lies in two words: sustain and abstain.” 

 

Epictetus

February 17, 2022

Reflection 

February 17,  2022

 

Thought for today

 

“A hospital is a place in which every  patient is possessed by the desire to change his bed.”

 

Pierre Charles Baudelaire

Very true. I just got out of the hospital today and the bed was horrible.

February  16,  2022

 

Thought for Today

 

“Each man is bound to leave a story better than he found it.”

 

Mrs. Humphrey Ward

 February 16, 2022

Rreflection

FIVE  UNDERSTANDINGS

 
The title of my homily is, “Five Understandings.”
 
Today’s gospel has Jesus asking a question two times: “Do You Understand.”
 
If we read the gospels with the question: “Do you understand?” – we are connecting to this desire of Jesus to be understood.
 
We who preach have the same desire: to be understood.
 
We certainly hear Jesus’ frustration – The disciples don’t seem to get it – They seem to have eyes that don’t see – and ears that don’t hear.
 
The disciples don’t get Jesus enough. The disciples don’t learn.   The same thing keeps happening.  They are eating up the Pharisees behavior and their leven is levening them. Jesus wants his bread – his way of doing life – to get into the disciples.
 
Understanding can be a slow process.

I like lists – so my homework for this homily is: Come up with 5 understandings Jesus want us to get.

Here’s my 5.  Tomorrow I’ll probably have others.

If we make lists, we can come up with a few understandings.

First: There is richness and poverty – but not everyone has the same ones.

Second: There is good Leven and bad Leven.   Beware of the Leven of the Pharisees and Herod. That’s bad Leven.

Third: There is a God. God is our Father and Jesus will teach us about him.

Fourth: There are temptations in life and they can destroy us and others – and we better not  blame them on anyone but yourself.

Fifth: See the birds of the air, trees, flowers, water, bread, mountains and fish.

 February 15,  2022

Reflection

February  15,  2022

 

“Nobody gets to live life backward. 
Look ahead, that is where your future lies.”

 

Ann Landers

 February 14, 2022

 

IN  A  MOMENT

How many times do we say in a lifetime: "I'll be there in a moment."  Or, "I'll be with you in just a moment."

How true?  So true. Oh God – we do say that at times.
 
“In a moment ….”
 
Everything happens in a moment … in moments … in the moments of our life.
 
Moments walking, moments in an elevator, moments in traffic, moments waiting for someone who said, “I’ll be there in a moment.”
 
Moments … our life is slipping away …. It’s disintegrating by moments – time that will never be here again.
 
The clock is ticking.
 
Our life is limited.
Our life moves forward towards its end moment by moment.
 
It’s like the waves washing away a sandcastle on the shore.  Each new wave washes away more till there is no more – no more – no more….
 
What is now – was once – a not yet - and then it was – and next – it will become a never more. Amen.
 
I don’t want to say that “Amen.”
 
Yet that’s the truth – and that truth sets us free,
 
At times I want the illusion that I can stop time – stop the world – stop the moment – and then just be with still photos – non-moving movies.
 
Yet I know all is moving moment by moment.
 
I can’t stop time.
 
I guess I just have to learn how to be in the moment – and calmly go with it.
 
 

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2022

February  14,  2022 

Thought for Today

 

“Love: An agreement on the part of two people to overestimate each other.”

E. M. Cioran

 February  13,  2022

Reflection

February 13,  2022

Thought for Today

 
“Are you looking for me?
I am in the next seat.
My shoulder is against yours.
You will not find me in stuppas,
nor in cathedrals: not in masses,
nor kirtans, not in legs winding
around your own neck, nor in
eating nothing but vegetables.
When you really look for me,
you will see me instantly –
You will find me in the tiniest house of time
Kabir says: student tell me, what is God?
He is the breath inside the breath.”

 

Kabir (1440-1518)

Translated by Robert Bly