August 21, 2018

OPTICS

What you see is from where 

you are sitting: 

like in a wheelchair, 

like in a bus - aisle seat, 

like in the driver’s seat, 

like at the head of the table, 

like in the judge’s seat, 

like in the corner. 

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2018

Picture of Joni Eareckson Tada

August 21, 2018 - 

Thought for today: 

“We all admire the wisdom of people who come to us for advice.”  

Arthur Helps [1813-1875]

DON’T CROAK 

BECAUSE OTHERS 

WILL TELL YOU TO GO  CROAK 

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily is, “Don’t Croak, Because Others Will Tell You to ‘Go Croak.’”

I wasn’t sure just what to preach on today.  The first reading talks about Ezekiel losing his wife. She died. I had 2 funerals last week of husbands losing their wives. So that is on my mind - so maybe address that reality. Today’s gospel talks about the rich young man who couldn’t let go of his possessions. Evidently they possessed him.  I’ve thought at times about preaching how possessions can possess us - how stuff can stuff us.

However when I was reading up about St. Bernard, whose feast is today, I noticed a great anecdote - and I decided to underline thoughts that triggered.

As I read the life of Bernard, I began reading how he was often asked to help the church in lots of areas: in disputes with Abelard, with disputes about 2 popes being voted for at the same time, in disputes with the Benedictines vs. the Cistercians, with organizing the Second Crusade against the Muslims - and various other key issues of the time.

In the meanwhile he was trying to be a Cistercian Monk and to practice quiet and contemplation.

Then in the midst of all this the Pope asked a cardinal named Harmeiric to write a letter to silence Bernard.

So that’s when and where I get the title of my homily, “Don’t Croak, Because Others Will Tell You to Go Croak.”

Rome and people in Rome complained about Bernard basically being a busy body. He was described as as meddlesome monk. “Cardinal Harmeric, on behalf of the pope, wrote Bernard a sharp letter of remonstrance stating, ‘It is not fitting that noisy and troublesome frogs should come out of their marshes to trouble the Holy See and the cardinals.’”

“CROAK! CROAK!” 

That’s my attempt at imitating a frog. I know I have to work on it.

Well, upon receiving a letter of complaint, Bernard wrote back that he was dragged by force to help at the council. He wrote, “Now illustrious Harmeric if you so wished, who would have been more capable of freeing me from the necessity of assisting at the council than yourself? Forbid those noisy troublesome frogs to come out of their holes, to leave their marshes ... Then your friend will no longer be exposed to the accusations of pride and presumption.”

Rome - the Pope - and Cardinal Harmeric were impressed with Bernard’s comments. [Cf. Marie Gildas [1907]  in "St. Bernard of Clairvaux" in Charles Herberman, Catholic Encyclopedia, 2, New York: Robert Appleton. 

PRACTICAL APPLICATION

That example hit me.

How many times in life have family asked us our opinion about family?  How many times have someone asked us about politics?

Then when we give our opinion we have the same experience as Bernard: we attacked.  We described as being worse than a frog.

CONCLUSION

It’s then our move - to bite the bullet or to speak up.

Either way, don’t croak!

August 20, 2018

WAITING ROOM

Are all rooms waiting rooms?

Waiting for the doctor?

Waiting for the test results?

Waiting for another to die?

Waiting for the son to come home?

Waiting for the daughter to tell all?

Waiting for a spouse or lover?

Waiting for a child to talk about

          their first day of school?

Waiting for a book club to show up

          and talk about their latest book?

Waiting for a counselor or lawyer

to talk about a troubled marriage?

Are all rooms waiting rooms?

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2018

August 20, 2018

Thought for today: 


“A  house  is  not  a  home.” 

Polly Adler [1900-1962], 

Title of a Book (1954).

August 19, 2018

CHESS  MOVES

He loved to play chess in open spaces.

And every time he played he won.

And every time he won, he didn’t

really notice or rub it in that he won.

In fact, he really didn’t notice he was

playing - because what he was doing -

was watching everyone in the plaza

as they played their own chess games.

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2018

INTO THE MIX AND MESS 

OF HUMAN LIFE 

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time [B] is, “Into the Mix and Mess of Human Life.”

Sometimes we Christians wonder about our religion:  Being a Christian.

Sometimes we Catholics wonder about our religion: Being a  Catholic Christian.

Hopefully questions pop up in our wondering. Hopefully, we’re thinking people. It’s okay to ask questions. It’s okay to wonder whether this is all real? Is there life after death? It’s okay to wonder about  Mary, the Virgin Birth, Communion, Christ - becoming one in Christ in his Body and Blood, the Mass. Is this all real?  We come down the aisle and we hear the Eucharistic Minister say, “The Body of Christ.” And we say, “Amen” which means, “I believe.”

And sometimes we say with the  father of the epileptic son in the Gospel of Mark - 9:24, who came to Jesus for his son’s healing, “I believe. Help my unbelief!”

There’s a great prayer: “I believe. Help my unbelief.”

It took our Church its first couple of hundred years to come up with a language and creeds and councils - like Nicea and Chalcedon - to formulate the theology of Christ. This meant disagreements, heresies, splits, and people who walked away,  It’s like the folks in this 6^th Chapter of John - which we’re listening to these 5 weeks in our Sunday Gospels. John is giving us what people in Jesus time and then in the Early Church time - wrestled with in dealing with Jesus’ message about eating him up - embodying Christ - being in Christ in communion. We’ll hear next Sunday - the ending of the 6^th Chapter of John - this concluding  message: “many of his disciples returned to their former way of life and no longer accompanied him.”

THE CHAIR

When someone tells me that they don’t believe in God, I like to use the example of a chair. This usually happens when I’m sitting with someone.

I begin by talking about the difference between “I know”  and “I believe.”

I like to say: “When it comes to God, I don’t believe in God. I know there is a God.”

Then I point to a chair.  “I don’t believe there was someone who made this chair. By seeing the chair, I know there is a chair maker.  It could even be a bunch of people or a robot, but by seeing a chair - I know there is a chair maker or a robot maker, who programed making a chair.

Next I point to the sky - or the sun and I say, “I don’t believe there is a moon maker or a sun or star maker. I know there is a star maker.”

So there is a difference between I know and I believe.

Try this with one of your kids who says he or she doesn’t believe in God.

If they don’t get or accept that difference between knowing and believing, quit arguing or don’t go further with the discussion.

Then I say, “I know there is a chair maker, but I don’t know what the chair maker is like.”

Then I say, “I know there is a God, a Creator of the sun, the moon, and the stars, but I don’t know what the Creator is like  - other than being creative and makes a lot of stars in lots of space.”

Then I say, “Here’s where faith comes in - in the personality of the Star Maker. That’s where the scriptures come in. That’s where Jesus comes in. That’s where the ‘I believe’ statements come in.

JESUS CHRIST

If we listen to Jesus enough we’ll  hear him say, “See me, see the Father.”

We know Our Father as we get to know the Son.

We know the Spirit as we get to know the Son and the Spirit of Love between the Father and the Son and anyone they breathe life and existence  into.

THE TITLE OF MY HOMILY

Once more, the title of my homily is, “Into the Mix and the Mess of Human Life.”

In the fullness of time - God sent His Son into our world.

Jesus came into the mix and the mess of human life.

Jesus comes as a baby - into human flesh - and Mary and Joseph can’t  even get a place to have their baby.

We hear that story  in Luke.  In Matthew we hear about the slaughter of the Holy Innocents because of him.

Jesus walked our streets. He saw market places and bakers and bread makers.  He saw people dancing and he heard people singing. He saw our greed and our needs.

He saw men wanting to kill a woman caught in adultery. Was one of the rock throwers one of the men who was caught in adultery - who wanted to silence her - lest his wife find out?

Jesus saw sin - mess - hunger - thirst - the wounded and the weak.

Jesus came into all this mess.

Jesus comes to us as bread and wine. He comes into our mouth - whether we floss or not - brush our teeth or not - into our bodies and our personality.

I love the Gospel Text: “This man eats with sinners and dines with them.”

Jesus comes into the mix and mess called me.

WE PRIESTS - WE CATHOLIC CHRISTIANS

Last week, we priests - we Catholic Christians - we human beings -  heard the mess and the bad news of what some priests have done to minors and others  - and then there was the cover ups.

I thought this was all over a couple of years back - but nope there’s still stuff that hasn’t been solved or resolved.

Sometimes it’s tough being a Catholic. Sometimes it’s tough being a priest.

I hope this is one more scream to parents, keep your eye on who might have your kids in their predatory sights.

We have made progress in that abuse is being seen not just as sin - but as criminal  - and please go to the police for starters - as the Dallas Charter of the Catholic Church states.

We can read the letters and appraisals in the newspapers that folks have made - and hear anger and compassion.

A lady from Pennsylvania was telling me just yesterday that she was reading stuff on line from Jewish folks and lots of non-Catholics and some of them  have greater compassion than some Catholics.

We know now that some of  this sexual abuse stuff is a life time problem in abusers psyche and history.

I hope we continue to make major changes in our church - that all this is put into the hands of lay people - psychiatrists, specialists, parents, police, FBI, etc. etc. etc. who will  be given power to do more about sexual abuse.

For nine years I was I charge of our Redemptorist Novices. I’d have a novice for a year and a day - as part of their training to become a Redemptorist - besides time in theology and philosophy. I didn’t pass anyone forward, whom I would not be willing to be stationed with - and whom I discerned would not be a good priest and a good Redemptorist.

It was a tough job - with a heavy responsibility.

CONCLUSION

Let’s hope this is a better week for our world and our church. This world can be mixed up with a lot of mess - but we know God came to walk our streets and share bread and wine with us - his body and blood is in our mix.

August 19, 2018 

Thought for today: 

“Not only is there  no  God, but try getting a plumber on weekends.”  

Woody Allen, 

“My Philosophy” 

in the New Yorker, 

December 27, 1969

MOONLIGHT

Sort of like a friend who gave 

us off to the side advice when 

we made a fool of ourselves. 

Sort of like a glass of water 

when we didn’t know we 

were thirsty or dry or empty. 

Sort of like a wave or a wink 

when we felt all alone and 

didn’t know what to do next. 

Sort of like a red or blue 

candle lit for us in a quiet 

empty afternoon church. 

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2018

August 18, 2018 

Thought for today: 

“If only God would  give me some clear  sign! Like making a large deposit in my  name at a Swiss  bank.”  

Woody Allen [1935 - ], 

in New Yorker, 

November 5, 1973, 

‘Selections from 

the Allen Notebooks’.

August 17, 2018

BUILDINGS

Isn’t it interesting when we stop

to think about it, how different,

different buildings are - the vibes

or feelings they bounce or  radiate?

The feel of a church, hospital,

bank, auditorium, Home Depot,

diner, laundromat, Post Office,

museum, all so different  ….

Isn’t it interesting when we stop

to think about how different,

different people are - the vibes,

or feelings they bounce or radiate?

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2018

August 17, 2018 

Thought for today: 

“Hypocrisy is the most difficult and nerve-racking vice that any man can pursue; it needs an unceasing vigilance and a rare detachment of spirit.  It cannot like adultery or gluttony, be practiced at spare moments; it is a whole time job.” 

W. Somerset Maugham 

[1874-1965], 

from Cakes and Ale (1930), 

chapter 11.

August 16, 2018

TEA  BAG

Sometimes we are like a tea bag.

We’re in hot water  - and the hot

is coming at us from all sides.

We’re hurting. We’re feeling “Oooh!”

for the moment - as the heat seeps

into us and we are changed.

Then someone picks us up -

in a cup - and takes a sip of us -

as they go, “Uuum. Nice.”

It’s then we know - the meaning

of the old saying “It’s in dying

that we are born to eternal life.”

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2018

August 16, 2018 

Thought for today: 

“You don’t make up for your sins in church; you do it in the street, you do it at home. The rest is bullshit and you know it.”  

Martin Scorsese [1942 -  ] 

and Mardik Martin 

in Mean Streets (1973 film) 

in Michael Bliss Martin Scorsese 

and Michael Cimino (1985) Chapter 3.

August 15, 2018

OUR TAINTED NATURE’S

SOLITARY BOAST

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this feast of the Assumption is, “Our Tainted Nature’s Solitary Boast.”

That’s a boast, a comment, in a poem by William Wordsworth.

The poem is entitled, “The Virgin.”

I’ve noticed that comment in many sermons by many priests about Mary.

FEAST OF THE ASSUMPTION

Today we celebrate the Feast of the Assumption of Mary into Heaven - body and soul - however that works.

It’s one of the earliest titles and feasts of Mary in the Church - but it wasn’t till 1950 - that it was declared a Dogma - a Dogmatic teaching.

MARY: WE CATHOLICS GET HER

I come from a parish in Brooklyn, Our Lady of Perpetual Help.

We are in a parish here in Annapolis, Maryland, with the title of St. Mary’s.

We are Catholics and Mary is very much part of our life as Catholics - from names of parishes, to statues, to the rosary.

Some non-Catholics don’t get it - why we honor Mary so much.

She is not God. Some think that’s what we think. We don’t.

BOASTING  VS.  OH NO!

I think the comment in a poem “Our tainted nature’s solitary boast” can get us right into the middle of a most human need and reality.

We boast about our best; we put our head down about our worst.

We boast about Mary - who was our best - and in hopes we do our best.

She was presence - there for the whole life of Christ - from his birth till his death - from Christmas to  Good Friday.

She was in the crowd and in his eye sight - when he walked Israel and talked to Israel.

She thought of others at Cana - she thought of him and was there for him  on the way to Calvary.

We need people in our lives who are models and whom we can boast about.

PRIEST  SCANDALS  IN  PENNSYLVANIA

Yesterday was a horrible day for us priests - with the newspapers stuff about Pennsylvania.

Those we looked up to failed us.

I’m sure when people drove down Duke of Gloucester St. yesterday and today - when they saw this church - some of the news’ stories out of Pennsylvania  tainted this church building.

The pastor got e-mails that we better say something about all this - maybe come Sunday.  People look up to us to say something about all this - because this is a downer for us Catholics.

So today, that’s an opening salvo of quick comments today.

CONCLUSION

We priests are tainted - maybe that’s why we need someone completely untainted, Mary - and we boast about her - so on this feast we celebrate God taking her home to heaven - untainted. Amen.

__________________________


Painting on top: The Assumption of the Virgin, by Francesco Botticini [1475-1476] in Florence

August 15, 2018

ASSUMPTIONS

As we have all heard,

when we assume we

can make an ass out

of each other: u  me.

Yet, we need to make

assumptions,  to make

it a go - as we go through

life - with each other.

I assume you want it

to work. I assume that

you are listening.
I assume that you care.

I assume we will make

mistakes and I assume

that you will forgive me

when I fail or mess up.

I assume good will.

I assume patience.

I assume respect.

I assume love.

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2018

August 15, 2018 

Thought for today: 

“A poem is  never  finished; it’s always an accident that puts a stop to it - i.e. gives it to the public.” 

Paul Valery [1871-1945] 

Litterature (1930), page 46.  

In French, “Un poeme n’

est jamais acheve - 

c’est toujours un accident 

qui le termine, c’est-a-dire 

qui le donne au public.”

DENTS

I see the dents and scratches,

on the different cars that shoot

and slide by me on the streets

and highways of life. “Uooh!”

I miss the dents and scratches

and scars on the different people

who shoot and slide by me on the

stairs and sidewalks  of life. “Uooh!”

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2018

August 14, 2018 

Thought for today: 

“Conductors  must  give unmistakable and suggestive signals to the orchestra - not choreography to the audience.”  

George Szell  [1897-1970], 

Newsweek January 28, 1963

UNFORGETTABLE SCENES

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for the 19^th Monday in Ordinary Time  is, “Unforgettable Scenes.”

Before dementia, we can sit back and sort out some unforgettable scenes from our lifetime.

That’s one of the great gifts we have as human beings: our ability to remember - especially our unforgettable scenes.

Memories  ….  Moments .... Scenes from a lifetime ....

TODAY’S TWO READINGS

Today’s two readings trigger that thought.

The first reading from Ezekiel has some electric images: huge clouds, strong storm winds from the north, flashing fires in the sky. It also has sounds - as if the sky was filled with images that looked human - but with wings.  I picture 1,000 gulls squeaking at the shore - if you ever saw that.  Then Ezekiel sees a throne - like a sapphire - with someone seated  on it - filled with fire and light. Then he sees a rainbow. [Cf. Ezekiel 1: 2-5, 24-28c.]

The gospel has Jesus telling his disciples about his future - being killed and rising on the 3^rd day. Then there is the fish story about having to pay taxes and they toss a hook into the lake and they catch a fish - with a coin in its mouth worth twice the temple tax. [Cf. Matthew 17: 11-27.]

QUESTION

What have been your great life scenes? What have been your memorable scenes.

Pick 10. It’s a good exercise. It’s good discussion stuff with one another.

Here are 10 scenes in my life. I did my homework. Practice what you preach. These are in no particular order - and I have hundreds more. 

I had a crazy morning, so I read the readings and thought this might be interesting homework.

#1  Four of us in a light blue car drove from New York City to the Rocky Mountains in Colorado.  The plan was to drive till we saw mountains. We went 32 hours straight - switching drivers every 2 hours - stopping for bathroom breaks and hamburger breaks. We crossed the border into Eastern Colorado. It was evening. There were the mountains finally. We parked the car on a dirt road - next to a field - got out - pitched our tents and went to sleep.  We woke up the next morning surrounded by cows and looked out from our tents and saw no mountains. It was a mirage. What we thought were mountains the night before simply were clouds in the west.

#2 We climbed Mount Alice. There we were - us 4 priests - trying to climb up to the top of what was called Mount Alice. It was part of the Continental Divide. We didn’t make it. 2 guys below us took pictures - but we didn’t know till we looked at the pictures when we got back - that we were very close. We took another way the next day - got to the top of Mount Alice. Surprise! What we thought would be a tiny peak - some 14,000 feet up - was a gigantic boulder field - the size of 3 football fields.

#3.  On a Mediterranean cruise, we took a bus and then walked up to the edge of Vesuvius above Naples, Italy and looked down into a deep crater that had smoke coming up  our of different fissures.

#4. I was giving a priests’ retreat on the other side of Lake Poncetraine - on the other side from New Orleans and I was walking outside by myself early in the morning - and a man in a car came into the property - went into a cemetery - and I was walking towards him - and he had a gun and shot himself to death while standing in front of a statue of Mary.

#5 I was with my brother in his sailboat in the Chesapeake - not too far out from the Naval Academy and we were able to go right up close to a nuclear submarine.

#6 Mary Decker. I was at Madison Square Garden one night for the Millrose Games and we saw Mary Decker break the world indoor record for the 10,000 meter run and somewhere around 7000 meters the whole of Madison Garden stood up and cheerer her on.

#7 I saw the Codex Sinaticus - in the British Library in London.

#8 I saw 1 million people all together  in Washington DC for fireworks on the evening of July 4^th, 1976.

#9 I once gave a sermon to 15,000 people - one evening - in a park in Reading PA and couldn’t see any of the people in front of me. The  stage had a pond in front of us - and bright, bright lights shining in our faces.

#10 I saw the New York Marathon a couple of times. The one I picture was the first time I saw the Marathon. We were standing there on 4^th Avenue in Brooklyn - and suddenly we could hear the helicopters overhead - then the lead runners coming off the Verrazano Bridge - then over 20,000 people ran by us.

CONCLUSION

Those are 10 of my unforgettable sights. There are a lot more. What are your 10 more.

August 13, 2018

Reflections

DRIVING BY

Driving by a dozen, 100 dozen

cemeteries, I see people standing

there at graves - I can’t see their

eyes, their faces, their thoughts,

their prayers, but who said the

dead are dead? Who said there

isn’t resurrection on both sides

of death - both sides of the grave?

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2018