I  WISH  SO AND SO 

HEARD THIS 

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this 21^st Monday in Ordinary Time  is, “I Wish So and So Heard This.”

One of the  experiences every preacher has is the following: someone comes up to a preacher or speaker and says, ‘I wish my daughter-in-law heard what you said today.”

THE PREACHER’S REACTION

For starters, it’s a compliment in a way.  Someone heard something and it has a grab of importance for them.

Sometimes the preacher has a second experience.  They say to themselves. I wasn’t preaching to those absent, but to those present. Maybe this person should apply what was said not to others, but to themselves for starters.

TODAY’S GOSPEL

Today’s gospel  - Matthew 23: 13-22 - has the first 3 of Matthew’s 7 Woes of Jesus. Scripture scholars like to point out that in Matthew they are a teaching technique. He does the same thing with the 7 Beatitudes in Matthew 5: 3-12.  Sometimes it’s listed as the 8 Beatitudes.

Tomorrow we’ll have 2 more woes and Wednesday we should have the last 2 woes, but we have a feast day on Wednesday,  August 29^th, for John the Baptist - so there is a different gospel for that day.

Question: when we hear these 7 warnings, these 7 blasts, these 7 criticisms, these 7 woes,  of the Pharisees and the Scribes, do we think of others, or do we apply them to others?

If there is anything I learned from the Jesuit Exercises from Saint Ignatius of Loyola, it’s to apply all these readings to self - not others.

I read a Bible text, I put a finger on it, and say, “Now this if for me!”

It’s to see myself in the gospel stories and the scripture texts, not others.

How am I a hypocrite? How am I a Pharisee or a Scribe?

When preachers are preaching and everyone listening is screaming inwardly at the preacher, “Practice what you preach!” it would great if the preacher knew what everyone was thinking about him at that moment.

Ouch!

It’s a good sign - in a way - if the person being corrected - at least said the following, “Do what I say, don’t do what I do?”  If they say that much, they might have half of the problem correct.

The Pharisees and the scribes were always trying to correct others - and they didn’t look into the proverbial mirror - at themselves.

As preacher I know I’m guilty of doing  this at times.

Sometimes after I finish a homily, I go through it and change all the you’s to we’s or I’s.

SPECK OR 2 BY 4

Jesus  knew this and said all this very clearly when he said, “Remove  the 2 by 4’s in your own eye first - instead of spending your energy seeing the tiny specks in your brother’s eye.”

People even did this to Jesus when he challenged him by yelling back at him, “Physician heal yourself.”

People got this message when they dropped their rocks when Jesus said at them, “Those without sin, cast the first stone.”

Jesus told us to stop judging each other.

TODAY’S FIRST READING

In today’s first reading Jesus tells us what to see in the other.

See the good stuff. To live with peace  and in “grace” with each other.

Here in 2 Thessalonians, we are called to be thankful for the others around us.

We’re  called to  have faith - a faith that is growing.

CONCLUSION

I’m not  saying in this homily that we can’t say something to another.

Today we’re celebrating the Feast of St. Monica who challenged her son Augustine to straighten his life out.

She succeeded - her tears and her prayers worked  - and we have the great St. Augustine.

August 27, 2018

JUST FOR A MOMENT

You bad mouthed me 

in public - just a blast 

of words - but I’ll be honest - 

why not - your comments hurt. 

So if you want to talk 

to me in private - just for 

a moment - but I’ll be honest - 

I’ll forgive you - either way. 

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2018

August 27, 2018 

Thought for today: 

“You  cannot  make  people  do  things they are  incapable  of  doing.”   

Robert Mueller

STAYING  OR  LEAVING?

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this 21^st Sunday in Ordinary Time [B]  is, “Staying or Leaving?”

Question mark.  Notice I have a question mark after that word, “leaving”.

In this homily, I’m asking the question: Staying or leaving?

IT’S  A BASIC LIFE QUESTION

Staying or leaving is a very basic life experience.

We’re at a wedding or a picnic or a family get together. Do we stay or leave? 

We’re at a movie and it’s horrible. Do we get up and leave - or stay till we see those wonderful two words: “The End.”

And sometimes - we don’t want the party or the celebration to end.

We were at a Bowie Baysox baseball game two weeks ago. It was a double header. Bowie was playing the Richmond Flying Squirrels.  It’s the mascots.

The 3 of us during that second game got the thought at some point: “When are we going to get moving?”  Someone finally said it out loud, “Have we had enough?”

Couples know the signals - looking at the door, the watch, the Iphone, seeing others getting up, the yawning, seeing the eyes - seeing if they are saying,  “Let’s get going.”

I learned in listening to people:  when they take their car keys out, it’s close to closing time.

TODAY’S READINGS: STAYING OR LEAVING

I hear that question in today’s readings.

We’ve been listening to  the 6^th Chapter of John as our gospel reading for 5 Sundays now. Today is the finale: stay with Jesus or leave Jesus.

And the decision is based on whether a person accepts or walks away from Jesus. Do we accept Jesus as the Son of God -  as the Bread of Life - as the Precious Blood of God.

Jesus says, “This is a hard choice. This is a hard saying.”

Jesus is asking his disciples,  “Where do you stand on me - with me?  Are you going to stay or are you going to leave?”

And the last paragraph in today’s gospel begins, “As a result of this, many of his disciples returned to their former way of life and no longer accompanied him.”

Today’s first reading from the Book of Joshua has Joshua gathering together all the tribes of Israel and asking everyone that day, that moment, “Decide whom you will serve: the gods your fathers served beyond the river or the gods of the Amorites in whose country you are now dwelling.”

And Joshua makes the preemptive choice: “As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”

In today’s second reading from Ephesians the staying or leaving question shows up in marriages - in the hearts and minds of husbands and wives.

I know a lady in Ohio who calls up her local church every time this reading about wives being called to be subordinate to their husbands is the reading for the following Sunday. She calls around Wednesday.  I’m sure the parish secretary has no clue what the priest for the following Sunday is going to do.  I would assume that it doesn’t make any difference to that woman that this letter to the Ephesians  is challenging husbands in this same reading to love their wives - to hand themselves over to their wives - like the church is called to be subordinate to Christ.

I would assume it wouldn’t make any difference if this woman was told that of course that was the attitude in the Mediterranean basin in the 1^st century and is today in many places.  If I was asked,  I might comment, “I like to jokingly say, ‘Why don’t we make God female and only females as priests, bishops, popes, for the next 2000 years and I’m sure things would be different.”

I wouldn’t say - but I’d be tempted to say, “The reason we don’t have female priests is because in some places, they want at least one male present.”

Why do we stay or leave?  That is the question.

LETTERS TO THE PASTOR

I’m sure pastors and bishops got a lot of letters in the last week or so about the horrible abuse of children, teenagers, and cover ups in our church.

I said last week from the pulpit that when the Pennsylvania news reports came out, it wasn’t an easy day being a priest.

Father Tizio gave us a letter from a couple leaving the parish and the church because of all this.

I wonder how many other people in our church - in our country - are asking that same question: to stay or to leave.

I’ve been talking to 3 people this year - who are looking to come into the church. Because of their jobs and schedules,  they can’ t make our RCIA program - which we be starting soon in preparation of coming into the church next Easter.  Will they ask and address this question?

THE EDGE OF A RAZOR BLADE

To stay or to leave is sometimes like being placed on the edge of a razor blade.

I am thankful for  whoever it was in my family line in Ireland who started going to church. The answer to that that question is not listed in my DNA - Ancestry Dot Com.

I remember hearing from my mom about her house in Ireland - which was right on the waters of Galway Bay. She said, “In the morning I could stand of this big grey flagstone at our back door and I could stick my big toe into the water.”

When I finally got to Ireland for the first time in 1995 and saw where my mom was from, I found out that my mom’s house was down - but that grey flagstone was right there - with water lapping it.

When I looked around at the rocks - lots and lots and lots of rocks - I remember my mom saying, “Ireland has nothing.”  She was glad she went to Boston around 19 years of age - and began a new life in America - working as a hotel cleaning woman, then a maid at the Adam’s Hotel.

About 3 years ago - by luck - I heard a wonderful story that they carted away the stones from my mom’s house - when they tore it down and used those stones for the foundation of the new church in that area.

Tully Church Inverin

I heard that and said to myself, “I’ll use that for a homily some day.”

Today is my chance. I’m glad my mom and dad - both  from Ballynahown, County Galway Ireland - but got married here in the States - that they stayed in the church and passed that faith down to us 4 kids.

My mom knew of the weaknesses in priests and people.

When I came home from the seminary for the first time, first vacation, when I got off the train, my dad seeing me so thin  said, “You’re not going back, are you?” I said, “Of course I’m going back.”

Like most priests - especially seeing the negative stuff in our church - as well as seeing so many priests leave - [9 out of the 16 ordained in my class left - 2 came back] - at times I’ve asked, what many married people have asked, what many Catholics have asked, “Stay or leave?”

Obviously my answer is the same answer the disciples at the end of today's gospel gave: "Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God."  

Now that's a creed!

CONCLUSION

I’ve always liked the comment: “An old lady in Jersey City once said, ‘The 5 marks of the Catholic Church are: it’s one, holy, Catholic, apostolic and it survives its clergy.’”

August 26, 2018

WHY  TEARS?

I still haven’t cried at my mother’s death -

a hit and run accident - way back on

April 7, 1987…. Why? Why? Why?

I cry at movies - like The Natural and

It’s a Wonderful Life, Dr. Zhivago and

songs like,  “If I Had a Hammer.”

I cried at my father’s, my brother’s

my nephew’s, my sister’s death,

but I still haven’t cried at my mother’s

Why?

Why?

Why?

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2018

August 26, 2018 

Thought for today: 

"It is better to be a has-been than a never-was.” 

C. Northcote Parkinson [1909 - 1993]

THE  DEER  CRY

I arise today through the strength of heaven 
Light  of  sun,  radiance of moon 
Splendor  of  fire, speed of lightning 
Swiftness of wind, depth of the sea 
Stability of earth, firmness  of  rock 
I arise today through God's strength 
to pilot me 
God's eye to look before me 
God's wisdom to guide me 
God's way to lie before me 
God's shield to protect me 
From all who shall wish me ill 
Afar and a-near 
Alone and in a multitude 
Against every cruel, merciless power 
That may oppose my body and soul 
Christ with me, Christ before me 
Christ behind me, Christ in me 
Christ beneath me, Christ above me
Christ on my right, Christ on my left
Christ when I lie down, 
Christ when I sit down
Christ when I arise, 
Christ to shield me
Christ in the heart of everyone 
who thinks of me
Christ in the mouth of everyone 
who speaks of me
I arise today. 

The "Deer's Cry" is also known by the name "St. Patrick's Breastplate" and is an  example of a lorica -- a "breastplate" or corslet of  faith recited for the protection of body and soul against all forms of evil...  The name of the hymn derives from a legend ... when Loequire, the High King of Tara, resolved to ambush and kill Patrick and his monks to prevent them from spreading the Christian faith in his kingdom.  As Patrick and his followers approached singing this hymn, the King and his men saw only a herd of wild deer and let them pass by.  The word 'cry' also has the sense of a prayer or petition. 

BE THOU MY VISION 

O  LORD OF MY HEART 

Bi Thusa Mo Shuile is the Irish Hymn, Be Thou My Vision, in the modern Irish language. This

translation was rendered by Maire Brennan's grandfather, and sung by Maire Brennan herself.

Artist: Maire Brennan

Album: Whisper To The Wild WaterLicensed to YouTube by

Curb Records (on behalf of Word Entertainment); CMRRA, UMPG Publishing, UMPI, ASCAP, and

Music Rights Societies

1	Be Thou my vision, O Lord of my heart; Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art; Thou my best thought, by day or by night; Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.
2	Be Thou my wisdom, and Thou my true Word; I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord; Thou my great Father and I, Thy true son; Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.
3	Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise; Thou mine inheritance, now and always; Thou and Thou only, first in my heart; O King of glory, my treasure Thou art.
4	O King of glory, my victory won; Rule and reign in me ’til Thy will be done; Heart of my own heart, whatever befall; Still be my vision, O Ruler of all.

PSALM 46:

VERSES 1 AND 2

Verse 1
God is our shelter and strength,
always ready to help
in times of trouble.

Verse 2
So we will not be afraid,
even if the earth is shaken
and mountains fall
into the ocean depths;

Verse 3
even if the seas roar and rage,
and the hills are shaken
by the violence.

PSALM  79: 

VERSES 3 & 4

Verse 3:
They have shed 
your people's blood
like water;
blood flowed like water
all through Jerusalem,
and no one was left 
to bury the dead.

Verse 4: 
The surrounding nations
insult us;
they laugh at us 
and mock us.

August 25,  2018

HAMMER

If I came back from the dead,

what would I want to be? It

would be a hammer of course.

So solid, so basic, so strong.

A hammer…. Like being 911 -

providing help at a moment’s call.

But I know I won’t be back from the

dead. I’ll be in the soft dark unknown -

with God so solid, so basic, so strong.

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2018

August 25, 2018 

Thought for today: 

“There is nothing more agreeable in life than to make peace with the Establishment - and nothing more corrupting.”  

A. J. P. Taylor [1906- 1990]

Questions:

Who are the Establishment?

What does it mean to make peace with this who?

August 24, 2018

BLOOD SPILLS

Blood spills on stones and dirt -

precious blood on the altar cloth,

the sacrifice on the tablecloth of earth -

soldiers trying to escape from

snipers and mortars on the hills

above the road to where they

thought they would probably die -

crying  - praying - hoping that this

war and all wars would  end right now.

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2018

August 24, 2018 

Thought for today: 

"No matter what political reasons are given for war, the underlying reason is always economic." 

A. J. P. Taylor [1906- 1990]

August 23, 2018

THE FACE OF A TREE

Are trees self-conscious

when people pause to stare

at their bark - their skin -

their face - to touch and check

out their texture - especially

when it’s rough  and tough -

as if it had acne or pimples

or other teen age skin problems

years and years ago, but the

scars and rough skin remain?

Or does wind and weather,

rain and cold and snow,

become their greater worry -

or lovers carving their initials

into the heart of this tree -

this tree of the cross - knowing

these two will be broken

or broken up by next spring -

and there will be more stories -

many more carvings to come?

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2018

August 23, 2018 

Thought for today: 

“Reading  is  sometimes an ingenious device for avoiding thought.” 

Arthur Helps [1813-1875]

August 22, 2018

CHURCH STEEPLES

Do steeples and crosses, 

do churches and cemeteries, 

still stir up in us a God, “Hmm”, 

a God advertisement -  that 

God is above us and around 

us and underneath us? 

Or has all that ended and now  

it’s up to babies fingers, oceans, 

mountains, the morning shower, 

or  autumn leaves to get us to 

pause and hear God’s, “I am here” - 

hovering like a fly in your midst? 

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2018

August 22, 2018 

Thought for today: 

“Man ceased to be an ape, vanquished the ape, on the day the first book was written.” 

Arthur Helps [1813-1875]

HOW HARD IT IS 

TO LOSE AND TO LET GO

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this 20^th Tuesday  in Ordinary Time  is, “How Hard It Is to Lose and to Let Go.”

Today’s two readings have various messages.  If you read them ahead of time, what message - what question -  hits you from today’s two readings?

The one that grabbed me is what Ezekiel said, “You might think you’re  a god - small “g” god - but you’re not God.”

Ezekiel continues, “You might have great wisdom and great riches, gold and silver, but you are still not God.”

The gospel has a follow up from yesterday’s gospel  in the story about  the young man wants to follow Jesus. Jesus says, “Keep the commandments”. He says, “I do that - but I want more.”  So Jesus tells him to let go of everything - “sell it all - and give the money to the poor - and then come follow me.”

He can’t do that  - so he walks away sad.

Jesus then says to his disciples, how hard it is to enter the Kingdom of heaven. Jesus goes further, “Amen I say to you, it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for one who is rich to enter the Kingdom of God.”

I’m sure you’ve heard us preachers tell what different scripture scholars think the eye of the needle. I’ve heard it could be a gate in Jerusalem or part of a boat a big rope goes through. Others say it’s just what Jesus said, “A camel can’t go through the eye of a needle.” In India we might say, “It’s like an elephant trying to get into the back seat of one of those smart cars.”

TITLE OF MY HOMILY ONCE MORE.

Once more the title of my homily is, “How Hard It Is to Lose and to Let Go.”

Part of being a human being is that we lose things. Life has great finds and great gifts, but it also has moments of loss.

Yesterday we heard about Ezekiel losing his wife.  She died and that is a horrible feeling.

We are not God. We lose people; God doesn’t. God gets all people.

We lose people by:  death - divorce - being dropped -  people moving to Florida.

We lose homes. Houses burn. How tough is that? Houses that have  pictures - mementos - gifts - a dad’s chair - a table that his come down through the generations - all gone in a fire.

On our high school retreats Ginny has an exercise. I’ve done it 37 times. I vary it every time. Your house is on fire. You can grab 3 things - not counting pets or persons - what would you rescue?

So we are not God. We lose things. We age. We lose our youth. We lose our health.

Watches keep ticking - even if we lose our watch.

THE CROSS

This reality of the possibility of loss is life - it’s part of the classroom - called life.

We are not God, so hopefully the cross - not being able to control life, not being able to control God, not being able to control our future, hopefully brings us to God - brings us to the realization I am not God - therefore I need God and others.

Surprise - God one ups us. He becomes one of us and he discovers he can’t control the horrors - the sins people do to each other.

Surprise - God let go of controlling us - in giving us freedom and free will.

Surprise -Just as the young man in yesterday’s gospel had the freedom of walking away - well God gave us that ability - and in that very reality - lies the beauty of life.

Love is not love - if it’s a have to love - if it’s not a freely given love - if it’s not a love that can be cancelled.

Love is a choice. It’s a bummer if it isn’t.

Love is wonderful, beautiful, powerful, when we realize it’s a gift given to us - when it could be ignored or not given. Amen.

Can I get you a piece of pie or a dish of ice cream - vanilla, peach or butter almond?