THE  WIND  BLOWS

WHERE  IT  WILLS

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this Second Tuesday after Easter is, “The Wind Blows Where It Wills.” John 3:8a

QUESTION

Where does that mysterious saying of Jesus blow or push you to:  like wind blowing leaves in a spring storm or dry fallen leaves on a November sidewalk?

What are your memories of this mysterious reality - wind - invisible wind - silent and gentle sometimes - whistling and wonderful at other times - and sometimes devastating and destructive? You’re out in the bay and the wind is perfect and your sails are full; you’re at home and a wind storm comes - knocks down a 101 trees and you’re without electricity for 2 and half days.

The wind blows where it wills.

Better not quote that to the folks in Tornado Alley in the Lower Mid-west - USA - especially these days - or wherever there is dry brush - electricity storms - and  worries about forest fires.

The wind blows where it wills.

SCRIPTURE

In the First  Book of Kings 19: 11 there is the famous scene when Elijah the prophet is running for his life and hides in a cave and he has a God experience - and God is not in the fire or the storm or the earthquake - but God is in the gentle breeze.

How many people have had the same experience sitting alone on a back porch with a cup of coffee in the morning or a cup of tea at night - or a nice drink - and there is God in the cool of the morning or the cool of evening?

The wind blows where it wills.

I love to picture Jesus’ face when he went into the mountains or to deserted places and experienced the love of God his Father. When he told Nicodemus - as we heard in today’s gospel - that “The wind blows where it wills” - was it those experiences that backgrounded that comment - or was it out on the Lake of Galilee and a storm came up? How often did he climb the mountains in northern Israel by himself or with friends - before he started his public life? Did he pause to feel the wind? Did he pause to study the beauty that surrounded him? He told us to spot the birds of the air? Talk about awareness of air and wind - learn a lesson from the birds - flying well before Orville and Wilbur.

CONCLUSION: EARTH  DAY - EARTH  WEEK

Next Sunday - April 22 -  in 175 countries around the world, it’s Earth Day. I didn’t have time to check if they were mostly countries in the Northern Hemisphere - where it’s Spring. Last Sunday, April 15,  till this coming Sunday, April 22. it’s Earth Week in many places.

Question: what are we doing to make our space - the place of our footprints - beautiful? I try to pick up paper and dumped and dropped cups and cans in our parking lot. Annapolis certainly is beautiful - most of the year - but especially in the Spring. Praise God - but are we already in summer?

Yesterday, a lady who lost her husband recently told me that the family spotted an Eagle on the way back from the cemetery - and the family saw that as a sign - because her husband loved life and creation.  Then last night on NBC evening news Brian Williams spoke in the final segment - the good news - that eagles in America are being spotted in many places - the pollution in the air has been reduced and their eggs are making it.

Next Sunday up in Annapolis Towne Centre - in front of Gordon Biersch Restaurant - between 2 and 4:30 PM,  there is going to be an Earth Day Celebration and service with various ministers, rabbi, priest, etc. who will give some reflections and earthy prayers, etc.

Being of Irish background I might use some of those wonderful Irish blessings, which mention the wind. May we have the “Deep peace of the flowing of the air” or “May the breeze tussle your hair, Colleen” or “ “May the wind always be at your back”. Or I might change that last one to a prayer for earth day: Earth, waters, wind, may we always have your back -  because if we don’t -  we might not have you back.”

May the wind be always with us. Amen.

JOY  TO  THE  WORLD!

April  17,  2012

Quote for Today

"Surprised by joy - impatient as the wind."

William Wordsworth [1770-1850] in Surprised by Joy [1815] stanza 1

BORN AGAIN

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this Second Monday after Easter is, “Born Again.”

The word appears here in today’s gospel reading from John 3: 1-8.

It’s a rare phrase in the English translations of our Bible. How many times it appears in the English scriptures - maybe 4 - maybe 3 times - maybe only 1 - or none -  depends on the translation from the Greek that we use. I didn’t find it in English translations of the Jewish or Hebrew Scriptures - but like so many things - theologians will point out that there are glimpses - good glimpses of this theme in the Jewish Scriptures.

For starters I’m saying that “born again” is rare phrase in the scriptures. Yet I’ve noticed it’s a big theme in Evangelical Christian theology and life - here in the United States.

It’s interesting that The New American Bible - the one we use for our readings - uses the phrase “born again.” We heard it today. That’s why I got interested in it for this homily.  In our NAB  translation Jesus does not use it. He says “born from above” as in "Amen, amen, I say to you, unless one is born from above, he cannot see the Kingdom of God." But Nicodemus says it twice in the next sentence, "How can a man once grown old be born again? Surely he cannot reenter his mother's womb and be born again, can he?"

The key Greek word is “ANOTHEN.” Scholars say it can mean “from above” or “again.”  Moreover, it seems that scholars also say it would be better here to use, “from above.” The King James Version - KJV -uses "born again" in John 3:3.  It’s interesting that the RSV* - The Revised Standard Version - a mainly Protestant translation - uses “from above” and the NAB - The New American Bible, the Catholic translation and the JB, The Jerusalem Bible, also Catholic,  uses, “born again” when Nicodemus uses the phrase.

I like what one scholar said: John is trying to point out all through his gospel how people take things one way and Jesus takes them another way - and when they get his way of thinking, they change. So that’s the key to keep in mind.

So “born again” is rare - and can be translated that way or not.

YET

Yet here in the United States - amongst many Evangelical Groups - it’s a main phrase in their thinking. I’ve been asked and I’m sure you’ve been asked at various times, “Are you born again?” Or “Are you a Born Again Christian?”

This morning I spent about two hours on this. I am not satisfied with my grasp of what’s going on when Evangelicals use this phrase big time. I’m sure those of you who are converts or who have been part of some prayer groups or movements, you know very well what the phrase means.

CONCLUSION

Up till now I’m sort of sorting things out with what I’ve said till. Let me try to be practical and present  5 “first draft” things hit me this morning? What hits you this afternoon?

1) People can be ministers, priests, deacons, lectors, what have you in Church and they might never have had a specific Christ experience - or a born again experience. So we can be baptized as babies or teens or adults, and we still might not have consciously - oftentimes emotionally - given ourselves over to Christ as the Lord of our life.

2) Some use this as a put down on Infant Baptism - because like Nicodemus you need to be older to accept Christ in Baptism. How old - how young - does a person need to be to be reborn again? [Check out the "Born Again" baptismal pictures on the You Tube video on the top of this homily]

3) Some stress the date of their personal “born again” moment. It’s like a birthday - or a wedding day. Then some sort of imply:  if you don’t have such a specific, particular moment, when you accept the Lord Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior,  something is lacking.

4) Many point out what is stressed in the difference between a wedding and a marriage. We’ve all heard the saying, “A wedding is a day; a marriage is a lifetime.” Well, a baptism or a “born again” experience is a moment; a lifetime is where one must grow and develop. Don't just talk the talk; walk the walk.

5) What I didn’t see much of in my reading about "being Born Again" - [I only spent 2 hours on this today] - was the lack of stress on many rebirths - or being born again and then again and then again. If there is any thing they stress in AA or any 12 step program, it’s that life is a one day at a time process - and to grow one needs to take a step at a time and if you slip - then start again, and again, and again.

++++++++++++

*RSV - said by many to be the best scripture translation.

THINK!

April  16,  2012

Quote for Today

"There are two ways to slide easily through life: to believe everything or to doubt everything; both ways save us from thinking."

Alfred Korzybski [1879-1950]

Check out Alfred Korzybski - Polish-American scientist and philosopher. Here is a paragraph from Wikipedia on him: "Korzybski thought that people do not have access to direct knowledge of reality; rather they have access to perceptions and to a set of beliefs which human society has confused with direct knowledge of reality. Korzybski is remembered as the author of the dictum: 'The map is not the territory.'"

The picture on top I found on line. It's a picture of Alfred Korzybski in his Chicago officer in 1944. The tiny sign on the left hand bottom corner on the blackboard reads,

"When a private at Randolph Field comes to a noncom with a complaint, he is handed a mourning-bordered card which says: 'Your trials and tribulations have broken my heart. They are unique. I have never heard of anything like them before. As proof of my sympathy, I give you this card which entitles you to one hour of condolence.'"

DOUBTING  THOMAS

My name is Thomas - but I have been nicknamed or dubbed - “Doubting Thomas.” There was a reason for the nickname. I tend to doubt. Yes - that’s me - no doubt about it.

I’m a twin - and maybe you’re my twin too - that is, if you’re a doubter as well.

Now, it takes all kinds of folks - to make this world work. We need those who are sure, who have lots of faith, but I also believe doubters have a place in life’s schemes and life’s scenes. Being a doubter, I’m aware that’s a self-serving comment. However,  at times I inwardly thought  that those who were so sure of themselves, would be better off, if they had a doubt every once and a while. And I’m  sure when I voice my doubts, some wished I would be quiet and accept with faith and good will someone else’s word for some understandings about life. So when it comes to faith - and what we hope for, I’m one of those who tends to have doubts.

Hey you heard the saying, “What would Jesus do?”  Well, after all, Jesus picked me. Did he have any doubts about me - or any of us - including Judas? I would think so. At least, I know, I would. As I looked around at those of us he picked, to be honest, I had my doubts - especially why he picked me.

When Jesus said he was going to leave us - that he was going to go prepare a place for us - when he said, “There are many rooms in my Father’s house or mansion” - when he said, “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life,” John in his gospel gives me credit for saying out loud, “Lord, we do not know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” I don’t remember saying that, but I thanked John  for giving me  the credit. To be honest, I might have said, “Jesus I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

Thinking about all this - and this was long afterwards, I’d like to think that Jesus picked me because I wasn’t scared to bring up questions others were not asking.

Hey, it’s important to voice one’s doubts when everyone agrees or everyone seems to be so sure of themselves. I think it’s important to be able to say in any given situation, “Wait a minute!” or “What about?” “What are the consequences?” or “Can you explain that again. I’m missing something?”

Hey! What happened to all those people whom Jesus fed? Where were they when Jesus was caught and crucified? I listened to Jesus and I listened very carefully. If I heard him correctly, he knew that miracle and food followers - could be shallow followers. They were not there for faith - but for food and miracles.

On Palm Sunday they are praising Jesus - by Friday they are screaming, “Crucify him!”

So if you want to know why I have doubts, there it is, my take on people - including myself.

So have some doubts - or think about whether my way is a good way to do life. Or do doubters have any choice - if their nature is to doubt? I wonder about that too. Why are we the way we are? Where do our peculiarities and particularities come from?

And when you’re a doubter or a questioner, expect comments and criticism. My skin is not that tough - so it hurt a bit  to hear comments made about me the whole week after the other apostles and disciples in the Upper Room claimed to have seen Jesus risen after his death.

I wanted to put my hand in the place in his hands where there were nail marks - and poke my finger into his side. Then I would believe.

It’s a tough week after someone dies. It’s a tough week after one’s plans and hopes were crucified and crushed that day on the cross.

I left a lot to follow Jesus. I was slowly realizing he was the Way, the Truth and the Life - but I wasn’t there yet. I was wondering if he was my Lord and my God  - but I wasn’t there yet - and then he’s killed - and that made me feel rather empty.

Peter and Andrew, James and John, knew about fishing all night and catching nothing. Fishermen need to be dreamers - but they better be realists as well. Coming home with empty nets and an empty boat is not a pretty sight - especially when they have families to feed - especially when one sees the buyers on the beach - and one has nothing to sell them.  They just want to get past disappointed faces - get some sleep - and try again that night.

So that’s a bit of my story and what I was thinking that following Sunday when Jesus did appear again in the Upper Room. This time I was there. He singled me out. He asked me to put my fingers into the nail holes and into his side. I did. I did and I believed - and I shouted out, “My Lord and my God.” Then he gave a new beatitude, “Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.”

Good beatitude - but I’m here for all those who need some seeing - in order to believe. In fact, I wish Jesus would have given another new beatitude, “Blessed are those who doubt, because when they believe, it’s much deeper!”

Yet, I have some doubts about that. So when I get to heaven - and because of Jesus I believe there is one - but sometimes, I have my doubts - sorry to say that in public, but if you know me by now, I’m honest. So when I get to heaven, I’m going to ask Jesus - or his Father -  if I can stand at a side gate. Peter - the one who was always so sure of himself - he can have the main spot at the main Pearly Gates. Just give a small side gate.  I’ll wait for all those doubters who didn’t believe there was even a heaven. And I’ll welcome them into paradise - letting them slip in a side gate.

Now, that sounds a bit flippant and something off the books, so you might have some doubts whether I can pull this off, but you can be sure that’s one of the first things I’m going to try to do when I get to see Jesus again. He owes me for being a set up to pronounce his new beatitude.

And I know some have got the name of this Sunday changed to “Divine Mercy Sunday” - when it had been called, “Doubting Thomas Sunday” for centuries, for the longest time. Time will tell which one lasts.

Mercy or forgiveness that leads to Peace certainly is a key message to always remember - but let me repeat. There are a lot of people who are doubters - and I doubt that will ever change. And they need to hear about someone like me: Doubting Thomas. Here I am at your service. I made it. You can make it too.

++++++++++

The painting on top is by Caravaggio and the story above is my attempt to reflect upon the gospel for this Second Sunday after Easter gospel: John 20: 19-31. Last week, Easter Sunday, I preached about faith. I believe that this Sunday after Easter, also called "Doubting Thomas Sunday" was here for a deep purpose: there are people who have doubts!

IF THIS IS TRUE,

I HAVE A PH.D. 

IN DOUBT.

April  15,  2012

Quote for Today

"I respect faith but doubt is what gets you an education."

Wilson Mizner

BACH

OPENING UP

ALL THE STOPS!

April  14,  2012

Quote for Today

"Bach opens a vista 
to the universe.
After experiencing him,
people feel 
there is meaning
to life after all."

Helmut Walcha

               PRAYING

He was praying all the way home….

He was scared at what his wife had
just said on the phone about their son….

"Our life is about to change," she said.
Their son's marriage had just fallen apart ….

"Oh, my GOD, there are children involved.

Oh my GOD, what did we do wrong?
Now what? Now what? Now what?"

"Oh my GOD," he realized, “I’m always

praying to YOU without knowing it.

I’m always praying to YOU? I'm scared.

Does everybody do this to YOU too?
Does everybody come running to YOU
when hurting - like a child whose
parents have just broken apart? GOD!
Now what? Now what? Now what?”

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2012

WONDERING

She was wondering ….

At the playground she was wondering,

“Who is that mother over there - the one

with the cell phone?” She wondered

whom was she talking to - for these

ten, twenty, thirty minutes - at least.

Laughing. Lots of laughing.

The whole time she was pushing

her little girl on the park swing -

steady, steady - swinging

her little girl up high into the air -

towards the sky. Yet it seemed she

really was not  here in this tiny park

at the bottom of our street. It seemed

she was not seeing her daughter’s face -

who was tasting, feeling, eating the air -

as she went through space. Talk

about multi-tasking. All the while

her mom was still on the phone.

Then her mom took her to the slide

helped her to the top of the ladder -

picked her up at the bottom a

half dozen times - and let her slide

down again and again and again.

It seemed she was missing seeing

her daughter’s face on every ride

that she took her too. Surprise.

Then she realized that she too

was somewhere else. She was

watching the lady with the phone

and she missed ten, twenty, thirty,

looks and waves from her son on

swings and then the slide and then

in a duel with sticks with two other

little boys - over at the edge of the

tiny park. Then she wondered:

“Are we always somewhere else?

Are we all always wondering

about someone else’s somewhere

or someone else and miss those

swinging or sliding right in front of us?”

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2012

LYING

She was watching TV ….

She was watching these 5 candidates - 

all running for the same political office.

She began to notice the times they put

their hand to their face. Was it because 

they knew -  that what they were saying -

wasn’t them. It was something they were

told to say - to do better in the polls.

They would rub an ear or take their index finger

and scratch the skin below an eye,

or pat down the back of their head -

or with 2 fingers and their thumb

itch their chin a bit. She said to her husband,

“Did you ever notice how politicians

are always touching their face in a debate

or during a question and answer session?”

Without looking out from behind his paper,

he said, "Lots of times."  And he rubbed

the edge of his nose. Then she added,

“I think that guy who made Pinocchio had it right.

They usually touch their nose.

Who said we need lie detectors?”

And sure enough 1 of the 5 dropped out

of the race 3 days later. Someone checked up

on something he said and found out it was false.

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2012

       CLIMBING

He was a priest.

He wanted to be one

ever since his second year in college ….

He was ordained at the age of 29 and immediately

was sent to study Church or Canon Law ….

He worked in the Bishop’s office for 22 years ….

He wore the French cuffs….

He always said the right stuff….
His shoes were always shiny black.

He never stepped on toes.
He was made a bishop in his early 50’s ….

He was moved to a bigger diocese at 55 ….

His desk was always neat ….

He never sat in the wrong seat ….

He was moved to Rome at 60 ….

He saw important people every day ….

He was made a Cardinal at 63 ….

He started to cry at 66 ….

He didn’t know what it was or why ….

He thought his empty room was too, too empty….

He thought the Roman ceilings were too, too high….

He picked up a book at an airport once -

Selected Poems by Langston Hughes

and read the following poem,

MOTHER TO SON

Well, son, I’ll tell you:

Life for me ain’t been no crystal stair.

It’s had tacks on it,

And splinters,

And boards torn up,

And places with no carpet on the floor --

Bare.

But all the time

I’se been a-climbin’ on,

And reachin’ landin’s,

And turnin’ corners,

And sometimes goin’ in the dark

When there ain’t been no light.
So boy, don’t you turn back.

Don’t you set down in the steps

‘Cause you finds it’s kinder hard.

Don’t you fall now --

For I’se still goin’, honey,

I’se still climbin’

And life for me ain’t been no crystal stair.

He put down the book

and cried all the way back to Rome -

wishing he had a home somewhere ….

He was named Pope the following year ….

He became a father and a mother

for the first time in his life ….

And he slowly knew why he was crying

and why he was climbing - - finally

after all those years  ….

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2012

BAKING

He loved baking bread -

kneading, rolling, squeezing,

pushing his body into the dough -

and then to hear at supper,

at table, “More bread!

This is delicious! Thank you!”

And he would make extra loaves

of bread for neighbors for free -

and he would hear thanks from them

when they spotted him 
on the street during the week.

All this was brought out

in the eulogy at his funeral.

And his wife and kids saved

that last loaf - well half a loaf -

which is better than none -

as they say - from his last supper

with them - and then came the

heart attack that last night -

that last supper with him.

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2012

EATING

She liked to eat - but she ate 

too much. She knew that.

She could feel the weight

on her butt - but that

didn’t stop her. She felt the

pressure on her knees. That

didn’t stop her either.

She began spotting articles

about weight loss and eating

smart - but that brought guilt

and comparisons which

made her eat even more.

If she heard it once, she

heard it twenty times: “It’s

not what you eat; it’s

what’s eating you.” And

every time she laughed

at that one - saying,

“It’s what you eat!” 

Then she met someone

and she took off 38 pounds.

Then she had a t-shirt made

with the words, “It’s not what

you eat, but whom you meet!”

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2012

       COACHING

He always wanted to be a coach,

even when he was a player ….

Then when he made it, when

he was hired, he began to feel

the tough of it - the decisions -

to cut players - to bench ego’s -

to field the best - realizing this

meant the wrath of parents -

the nasty chanting of fans -

when the team was going

through a slump - yet he hung

in there - with Harry Truman’s

words on his office desk. “If you

can’t stand the heat, get out of

the kitchen.” That helped, but

what really helped was a poem

his wife read to him from Mary Oliver:

FARM COUNTRY*

I have sharpened my knives, I have

Put on the heavy apron.

Maybe you think life is chicken soup, served

In blue willow-pattern bowls.

I have put on my boots and opened

The kitchen door and stepped out

Into the sunshine. I have crossed the lawn

I have entered

The hen house.

* Mary Oliver, New and  Selected Poems
Volume One, Page  211


© Andy Costello, Reflections 2012

WORKING

She was a working mom

all those years - but didn’t

think she was really working -

just raising kids - taking them

to the park - and then driving,

driving them everywhere.

Some shopping was work;

some shopping was fun.

She liked supermarkets

with a baby in the cart

in front of her - that was

always a conversation starter,

but it became a nuisance

once her boys could walk.

They could be wanderers

in the  supermarket aisles.

Cooking - no problem. She

loved to cool. Cleaning - no.

Then when the kids were

in school - it was second career

time. Surprise she flourished.

She liked being an accountant,

the degree she got and never used.

Well, better say it here in this story,

there are no surprise happenings.

Just life. A husband and a wife -

still talking about when they retire.

In the meanwhile, those tuition

bills and college costs pitter

patter on their radar screen.

Ooops! What about weddings?

Life - for some. Then there is

the Sudan - and Afghanistan.

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2012

THINKING

He was thinking ….

That was her complaint about him.

He was thinking.

He was a quiet guy.

When she’d ask, “A penny for

your thoughts?” he’d just say,

“Oh just thinking. Just thinking.”

That is what bothered her and she

let him know this on a regular basis.

So he thought about this constant

complaint of her’s, He tried to tell

her what was going on at work

- the power struggles going on there -

but she’d jump in and cut him off

and tell him what he ought to do.

Then he’d think about that and

say to himself, “It ain’t worth it.
It ain’t worth it. She really doesn’t

want to think with me.”

Then he’d think about

why he tended to repeat,

repeat, what he was thinking.

Then he laughed. She gets

mad with my doing too much

thinking?  I even get mad

at too much thinking.

Think about that.

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2012

SMILING

He was always smiling…

and laughing as well - and

some people he knew in court

thought this was wrong. Judges

are always supposed to be serious.

You know the old saying,

“As serious as a judge!”

He’d counter - “But sometimes

it’s funny - the things people do.”

And he’d laugh all the way

to beginning of a trial. Then

as he walked into court

he’d put on his serious face.

Then came the horror stories.

And every once and a while,

he make a funny comment.

And he thought it was funny

that people didn’t know that

sometimes there is something

funny even in the midst

of the biggest tragedy.

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2012

       WALKING AWAY

She simply walked away ….

It was something she saw her dad do too …

simply walk away. Not a big deal….

When things get testy, just walk away.

Her mom would be criticizing her dad ….

When it became too much, he just 

walked away. So when her mom started

on her … she too simply  - walked away.

Their dog, now alone, seeing dad

and daughter gone -  knew it was

his turn to deal with a screaming mom,

so he started scratching the tile floor and

and then the back door - till she opened it

and he walked and wandered away.

Finally her mom - the yeller - figured

it out. Nobody was left to yell at.

So that day she took off her apron

and her scowl, opened the front door

and she too simply - walked away.

Surprise that night - all were back home -

including their dog.  Mom apologized for how

she was treating them lately. First time dad

or daughter ever heard that. Then mom

began laughing - first time they saw that too.

She told them that after they left she was

standing there with nobody left to yell at

but herself. Not wanting to hear herself yelling,

so she too walked away. Then three streets

away from herself, she saw how ridiculous

she could be so she walked back home to be

her old self again. And all hugged each other

and laughed. Then dad said with a smile,

“Anybody want to go for a walk…?”

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2012

ATTITUDE 

EFFECTS  ALTITUDE -

OUR  HIGHS  AND  LOWS.

April  13,  2012

Quote for Today

"Each of us makes his own weather, determines the color of the skies in the emotional universe which he [or she] inhabits."

Fulton J. Sheen [1895-1979]

CHOOSING  A  NAME

April  12, 2012

Quote for Today

"Remember that a man's [or woman's] name is to him [or her] the sweetest and most important sound in the English language."

Dale Carnegie


Questions: Any comments on this statement by Dale Carnegie?

Could reflection upon it lead us to more respect of each other?

Could it get us to ask another, "When calling you, what  name do you prefer?" "Is there any name you don't like?"

What does one do - if one doesn't think one's name is the sweetest and most important sound in the English or any language?

WHO WOULD WANT 

A PORCUPINE

FOR A PET?

April  11,  2012

Quote for Today

"Some Christians are like porcupines. They have many fine points but it's hard to get next to them."

Vance Havner