THE COLOR RED

God, you are fire,
red burning SUN,
mile high waves of fire
crashing, splashing,
splitting atoms,
cascading molten geysers of fire
erupting from your center,
up and out into our universe.

God, you are BLOOD,
silent rivers of red liquid,
ever flowing, ever moving
through my body,
constantly moving to
and from my center,
my heart and back again
and again and again.

God, you are red,
red redeeming FIRE,
purging me, warming me.
Without you I can do nothing.
God, you are red,
red redeeming blood,
with you, we can make
the impossible, possible. Amen.

© Andy Costello, Prayers, 2009

PARENTS PRAYER
FOR PATIENCE

Lord, I’m impatient with being impatient.
I’m impatient praying for patience.
Lord, please, listen to this impatient prayer
from this very impatient parent.

I need more gentleness, more forgiveness, more listening,
more understanding of others as well as myself.
I need patience, patience with others, especially the kids.
Help me to count to 10, or better 100, before I scream?
Help my kids and help me to hear the love behind my yelling.
Help them to know I’m trying to do what’s best for them,
especially when I nag them about neatness and homework,
about whom they date and how late they get home.
Help them to see that I don’t want them to get hurt –
better, that they make good moves and smart decisions,
especially when they are impatient and hard on themselves,
especially when they compare themselves to those
they think are smarter, quicker, better or what have you,
compared to me, compared to You, O Lord.

And Lord, hurry up and answer my prayer. Amen.

© Andy Costello, Prayers, 2009

AFTER DINNER SPEECH

I know, you expected more from me.
At least that’s what you said.
I’m sorry if I disappointed you.
I needed to relax tonight,
to be quiet tonight,
to be me tonight.
And to be honest,
I simply enjoyed our meal together.
I enjoyed the small talk
as much as the veal parmesan,
the bread and the wine.
And this might sound like psychobabble,
but I was me tonight, no roles, no show,
just me enjoying a good meal with you.
Thanks for these moments together.
Now when are we going to do this again?

© Andy Costello, Reflections, 2009

AUTOBIOGRAPHY

&

SPIRITUAL DIRECTION

I was ashamed
and you didn’t get nervous.
You listened
and I finally cried.
I laughed
and you wondered --
but you kept on listening
till we both got the joke.
You were slowly
letting me in on my mystery.

It came in glimpses and snatches,
snapshots from my life,
pictures I didn’t know I took,
scenes I didn’t want to look at.

There were mistakes,
embarrassing moments,
and I learned I was not the only one.
You waited till I finally learned:
they were the great teachers.
Thanks! You taught me that.

You helped me see
stirrings in my soul,
screams for sanity and sanctity,
justice and serendipity,
songs I wasn’t listening to,
gentle breezes and a few violent storms,
that moved in out of my life from time to time.

You were slowly sculpting me
like the sand on the shore,
like the stone of mountains,
like mud of earth,
like child in womb,
forming me into your own image and likeness,
becoming ONE with your Son.

Then the crumble, then the cross,
then Easter, Resurrection,
The Risen Son of the morning,
Pentecost Spirit at noon,
and finally evening
experiencing the Prodigal Father’s embrace
whenever I come home to You.
Older brothers and sisters
come to the banquet.
It’s not just for me!

© Andy Costello, Reflections, 2009

PASSOVER

Tonight,
like a priest,
I lift the Eucharist of moon
over the sleeping city,
blessing all the people.

Tonight,
Christ enter into all our homes
enter into all your people;
your blood be upon all
the people of the city.

Tonight,
eat with us sinners,
dine with drunkards;
once more spend your time
at one with us,
in communion with us.

Tonight,
repeat once again
over all of us,
“This is my body
which will be given up for you.
This is my blood,
the blood of the Passover Lamb
being sacrificed for you.”

Cf. Exodus 12; Exodus 29;

Luke 19: 41-44; Luke 22:1-38

© Andy Costello, Reflections, 2009

TRINITY

God, Muddy Handed Creator,
ever planning, ever spinning, ever singing,
“Let there be light” in this vast
ever moving, every living, ever dying,
ever crying, ever rising universe.

Jesus, Son, Carpenter, Fisher,
Flower, Bird, Grape, Wheat Watcher,
Healer, Friend, Rabbi, Redeemer,
Lover, waiting for us to come to YOU
through the eye of so many needles.

Spirit, Cool Evening Breeze,
Fire, Passion, Love,
Dove of Peace land on me,
Holy Whisper or Loud Shout,
shake these bones till I come back to life.

© Andy Costello, Prayers, 2009

A MOMENT
OF PRAYER

Lord, in this moment
and place of prayer,
we unite ourselves with You
and with all other people
in prayer around our world.

We praise You O Lord.
We thank You, O Lord.
Open up our minds and hearts
to You, O Lord – and to each other.

Lord, in this moment
and space of prayer,
help us to see and be with all the people
we are praying for as well as all the people
who are praying for us around our world.

We praise You O Lord.
We thank You, O Lord.
Open up our minds and hearts
to You, O Lord – and to each other.

© Andy Costello, Prayers, 2009