CORNELIUS

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily is, “Cornelius.”

There is only one person in the scriptures named, “Cornelius” and he appears only here in the 10th Chapter of The Acts of the Apostles – our first reading. That’s it. I knew that he was someone mentioned in The Acts of the Apostles, but I don’t remember ever reading, thinking or preaching about him. So that’s what I would like to do in this homily: to present some thoughts about Cornelius. This homily lacks poetics. It might sound a bit heady. Luckily it’s short – only 4 pages - in 14 Pica.

CORNELIUS

First of all he was a centurion in a place called Caesarea. A centurion was an officer in charge of 100 soldiers. The Roman Army would post at key small local towns a centurion and his 100 men.

Secondly, it’s interesting in the New Testament there is mention of 6 centurions and they are all good guys. Even the one in charge of crucifying Jesus ends up saying, “Truly this man was a Son of God” (Matthew 27:54; Mark 15:39) and “This was a great and good man” (Luke 23: 47).

Thirdly, Cornelius and his family are described as God fearing – and involved in the Jewish community. However, he was neither circumcised nor a member of the Jewish community.

Fourthly, Cornelius has a vision of an angel who came to him while he was praying; this is how this type of literature describes these things. He is told to send a message to a man named Peter who was in the city of Joppa. The vision gave clear specifics: Peter is staying with a man named Simon who is a leather tanner – whose house is near the sea. Cornelius sends one of his soldiers with two of his slaves to Joppa. In the meanwhile Peter goes up on a roof at the 6th hour to pray. He too has a vision. He sees this big, big cloth or canvas sheet coming down from heaven to earth. It has on it all kinds of animals. Peter is then told to kill and eat the animals. Interesting dream. Evidently, Peter is not a vegetarian. Peter says, “No way Lord, some of these animals are unclean.” A voice says three times, “Whatever God has made, you can’t call unclean.” While this vision is taking place the 3 men show up and ask for Peter. The Spirit speaks to Peter telling him he has visitors. He goes down and the three men tell Peter that a centurion named Cornelius had a vision and a holy angel told him to send for you – that you are invited to come to Cornelius' house to listen to him. The next day Peter goes to Caesarea with some of the disciples. In the meanwhile, as The Acts of the Apostles tells us (10:24) Cornelius invites his relations and close friends to be there for Peter’s arrival. Today’s first reading tells what happens next. Cornelius ends up being baptized a Gentile Christian and he doesn’t have to be circumcised or follow Jewish dietary laws etc. Today’s text uses the pronoun “them” at this baptism – not just Cornelius. Was the “them” his whole family – all his relations – his friends. Who are the “them”? Interesting….

Fifthly, this is a key moment in the history of our church. We are breaking lose from Judaism to reach out to the Gentiles – especially the Greek and Roman speaking world – without forcing everyone to be a Jew first. If you read The Acts of the Apostles and parts of Paul’s Letters, you can see that this was a big struggle. It’s also in the background of the Gospels.

CORNELIUS 2009

We don’t have to have visions to realize that a modern Cornelius might live right next door to us. Cornelius might be working with us each day. Cornelius might be in our car pool, bridge club, book club or tiny tots softball coaching staff.

Notice what happens when Peter enters Cornelius’ house and meets him. Cornelius falls to his knees and pays Peter homage. Peter lifts him up saying, “Get up. I myself am also a human being.”

Then notice what Peter says, “In truth, I see that God shows no partiality. Rather in every nation whoever fears him and acts uprightly is acceptable to him.”

It hit me last night that I have never heard anyone quote this text, Acts 10:35. “…in every nation whoever fears him [God] and acts uprightly is acceptable to him.”

I’ll have to do some homework to see if this text is used in Vatican II documents and the New Catholic Catechism when talking about ecumenism and world religions. I’ll have to do my research and reading to see it ever comes up in religious arguments amongst Christians on the question: “Who is saved?” and “What is necessary for salvation?”

We could combine this text with Matthew 25: 31 – 46 – the Last Judgment scene of the sheep and the goats – heaven or hell – and then add, “Wow are there going to be surprises after we die?”

These texts and several other biblical texts say we are judged on love – how well we loved and cared for each other.

We’ve all heard the jokes about different folks arriving in heaven and as they go by different doors they ask, ‘Who’s in there?” and the angel butler or St. Peter pointing to the closed door of a big room or mansion goes, “Shhh. Those folks think they’re the only ones here.”

And I noticed that today’s second reading and gospel stress love as the key – that if we are without love, then we don’t know God – for God is love.

And if God is heaven and heaven is all about love, then we better love God and each other a lot more.

And we know that when we love, we are in heaven.

CONCLUSION: 7 ASSUMPTIONS*

I would assume that there are millions of non-church goers – non-Christians – who like Cornelius talk to God in prayer and love God and their neighbor each day.

I would assume that there are millions of non-church goers – non-Christians – those who are Muslims, Jews, Hindi, etc. etc. etc. who like Cornelius talk to God in prayer and love each other each day.

I would assume that there are millions of non-church goers – non-Christians, non anything, atheists, etc. who work at loving their families and neighbors and are joyful people.

I would assume that there are millions of Christians in name – who don’t love – who are not joyful – who don’t listen to Christ – who don’t remain in Christ’s love – and who feel like they are in hell – down deep hell from time to time – and they don’t know why and they don’t know God.

I would assume that the purpose of coming to church, being a Christian, being a Catholic, is to hear about God and loving one another, to be baptized in Christ and in the Spirit, and to walk out of church into the parking lot and into our world and bring the joy and love of Christ to all those we meet.

I would assume this text could be used in the struggles with the “In Your Face” approach to texts like John 3:16 – when folks use that text to put people in hell based on whether they are “born again” or not – some of whom don’t accept the Catholic practice of infant baptism or what have you.

I would assume we Catholics got our name because the Discipleship – Community – Movement – Church – Jesus started – opened up to people like Cornelius. As a result, one can walk into any Catholic Church around the world and feel in communion with everyone in that Church – even if they are speaking in strange tongues according to us – but we can connect with them – and that at Masses in places like this we are united by our love for Christ and each other – people who were born in Annapolis or elsewhere – strangers and non-strangers – that we are all human beings discovering God and his love for us – especially in our love for one another – whatever our name is – Cornelius or Cornelia – Patrick or Patricia – Evelyn or Eddie – Oscar or Ophelia – Sam or Sophie. Welcome! Wellgo!

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


*As I was reflecting upon these questions, I realized I was back in the territory of Karl Rahner’s “Anonymous Christian” theology. If we believe that salvation comes through Jesus Christ, then what about those who never heard of Jesus Christ? Karl Rahner could not accept a theology that would say they are condemned. He would hold that the key consideration is conscience – their basic stance towards goodness and life. His theology on this became part of the Vatican Council teachings on this question. Some disagree with this position saying that it’s a put down on other religions. Would Catholics feel they were being disregarded if someone described us as “anonymous Buddhists,” or “anonymous Mormons,” or “anonymous Muslims,” or what have you? Others say this position does not match with scripture texts about salvation. If one starts to study the “salvation questions”: “Who is saved?”; “How is someone saved?”; and “What is salvation?” then be prepared for a lot of research. One must study “Baptism of Desire”, the works of Karl Rahner, S.J., the works of Popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI, as well as the documents of Vatican II, especially, Lumen Gentium, Gaudium et Spes, Unitatis Redintegratio, Nostra Aetate, and Dignitatis Humanae, as well as the Catechism of the Catholic Church #847. See also #55, 161, 169, 432, 1095. This can lead to the various ways sacred scriptures are interpreted. This can lead one to head scratching – prayer – as well as signing up for classes for furthering one’s theological development. If this has confused you, type into Google, "Anonymous Christian, Karl Rahner."

TATTOOS

Those of us without tattoos
sometimes think it’s strange,
all these tattoos. Yet, come
to think about it, it makes life
interesting – bridesmaid's backs

at weddings - the old and the young
at the beach. It sure gives
folks something to talk about –
something to be surprised about,
and it’s helping some folks
make a living. After all
it’s only skin deep – but what
about those of us with tattoos
on our souls – now those
can be interesting – some
of those can be outrageous
hurts – inked onto our very
being – invisible to everyone
but ourselves, everyday?

© Andy Costello, Reflections, 2009

PRIDE AND THE FALL

Popes and presidents,
bishops, professional
athletes, those on pedestals
or at head tables – those with
fat wallets and svelte bodies,
those who appear in People Magazine,
those who love to compare themselves
to the overweight or over old,
those who look down on those
with dented and crumbling cars,
or those in bleacher seats,
or in back benches at church,*
or on cement sidewalk seats
playing music, begging for a buck.
Beware if you become top heavy.
Beware of beauty or I.Q. or power
or cash or titles or the easy.
A heavy head can snap a neck.
Pride can brings us back
down to the gravity of ground,
the earth, the humus from which
we were all formed from. If none
of this scares us, there is always
death, the heady humble crumble.

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2009

* Cf. Luke 18: 9-14
Tap, tap the pictures on top of the flowers

in St. Mary's Garden here in Annapolis

with your cursor to get a close-up

of what I'm talking about.

SINK

The spin of clean, clear water
swirling down the drain – and
all that is left are 2 tiny, ugly pieces
of mushrooms, 1 wrinkled pea
that looks like a 93 year old neck,
and 3 pieces of gristle. While doing

dishes the sink seems to mimic

my inner conversations:
the nice swirls away – while
1 or 2 or 3 ugly comments from

the dinner table remain. They

just won't slink down that drain.

© Andy Costello, Reflections, 2009

MAMA’S SECRET BOX

There’s no way to say this than to say it right up front and bluntly. Mama died in a plane crash. She was one of those 117 killed – as it appeared on the evening news – a number – 117 unknowns – unless you were related or connected to one of the 117 – unless you knew Mama – unless you were one of her 5 kids or 1 son -in-law or 4 daughter-in-laws – or one of her 14 grandkids – or a friend.

Mama – they called her “Mama.” In other families it’s mom or mother or what have you.

It was a horrible death – a very difficult funeral – and nobody really wanted to say anything – at the funeral parlor or the funeral Mass – at the cemetery or afterwards. It was too quick. Tears had to take the place of words. Holding onto each other was all the kids and grandkids could do.

Sometimes time helps. Time heals. A long drawn out suffering and then death – is often easier than a sudden death. Sudden deaths – too dramatic – too quick a cut – too often – too deep a wound. How and how old we are, when we die, makes a difference.

Mama’s Secret Box helped. They didn’t discover it till after the funeral when all five gathered at Mama’s house to sort things out.

Mama was a poet – a photographer – a short story writer – and a novelist – and nobody knew it – and nothing had been ever been published: her pictures, poems or stories.

But before we get into that, a few words about Mama are in order. Mama was mom all through the years – just mom – and a wonderful mom at that.

Mama lost daddy in the Vietnam War – and never married again. She tried a few dates – but no – she realized it wasn’t her. She raised their 5 kids: 4 girls and a boy – her youngest, Jack, – on her own.

All five of her kids finished college. All five kids married. All five – like Mama always did - went to Sunday Mass. All five kids and their families are doing well – very well.

Mama – was fiercely independent – wanting her kids not to worry about her – to grow up and get on with their lives – to be independent like she was. She knew the importance of “self-skills” just in case something happened. You never know what’s going to appear on our personal family evening news.

Oh, she was always there, when wanted. She loved being a mom. She loved being a grandma. She enjoyed baby sitting – any of her 14 grandkids, but if the in-law grandparents wanted to baby sit – go for it.

For starters then, Mama was calm, cool, laid back, independent. This would be her #1 characteristic. Somehow you never felt pressure from her. Her kids were all A students – without nagging on her part in any shape or form through their school years. How she was able to broadcast this was something her 5 kids would start to talk about as adults on phone calls and especially on the long Thanksgiving weekends which they all got together for every year.

It takes adult time to figure out who our parents really are – and many times only after their death. Of course, it would be better if we talked about these kinds of things while we have time with our parents – like long car rides or walks – but this doesn’t happen enough. With these 5 it was really only after Mama died. They had to admit to each other they knew all the mom stuff – but they didn’t know enough about their mom – and then there was dad – dad getting killed in Vietnam so many years ago and they were so, so young.

But now they had Mama’s Secret Box. This was her great unexplained gift to them. Whether she would have wanted them to have it and its contents – they might never know – because she died so suddenly and so violently.

She was on her way to Florence, Milan, Rome and Naples, Pompeii and the Amafi Coast – a tour – on her own with a group she met up with at the airport. She loved her trips. She considered them after the kids were raised “Mom Rewards” – and she had the money from her very successful real estate agency. It got her kids through college. It now got her to see the world.

Wait a minute! I got to get back to Mama’s Secret Box, but I also have to say a few more quick things about money right here, right now. Mama’s will was also a wonderful surprise. The house, the savings, the insurance, all were to be divided equally and evenly. “There were to be no fights over money.” It said exactly that in her will. The house was paid off. And mom had a great insurance policy – and money in the bank – with some good investments. This all took place before the recent recession or depression we’re going through. She learned from the death of her husband in the Vietnam War to take out big time insurance. And there was to be a nice money package because of the plane accident.

Now to that box: Mama’s Secret Box.

They – all five of them – were there in Mama’s bedroom – an arranged meeting in Mama’s house for all of them – one week after the funeral. They were to empty out her bureaus and closets and what have you. Opening drawers is much tougher than sorting out who wants what furniture and dishes and that kind of stuff.

Jack, the only son in the mix, felt a bit of reluctance – standing there in mom’s bedroom. He knew it would be a women’s task to sort out mom’s clothes and that kind of stuff. He had gotten boxes – and announced that he would take what they wanted to give away to Good Will. Till Dolores, the oldest, found Mama’s box, the 4 girls took their time sorting out clothes and what have – sorting out stories and tears about mom’s jewelry and clothes. Memories like perfume scent remain in loved one’s clothes.

Mama’s box was a decent size cardboard storage box – which she kept in her closet – on the floor – in the back. It was dark grainy cardboard brown. It had handles. It was just that: a cardboard storage box.

The girls placed it on her bed – as if it was the Ark of Covenant – the sacred biblical box.

All stood there – a bit nervous, a bit nosey, a bit excited – wondering what this box contained.

Since Dolores, the oldest, had found it, she opened it. No, it didn’t have dust or cobwebs – like something from a “Raiders from the Lost Ark” movie. It was clean – unscuffed –unscarred – and if they reflected upon it later, mom must have been quite gentle going back and forth putting in and taking out her box from that closet.

There were notebooks – lots and lots of tiny spiral notebooks. She wasn’t into computers. They wanted to buy her one – especially for e-mails. “No thanks,” said Mama. “I’m okay.”

Sarah, the second oldest said, “Uh oh! Did mom kept a diary?”

“That would be great,” Sandy, the youngest sister said.

Nope. Mom kept no diary. They were to discover she expressed her thoughts by her stories – and they were to find out that there were 28 of them – 28 short stories. There were about 50 photographs of trees. As they looked at them, Sandy said, “Wow. Mom liked trees. I didn’t know that.” And there were two novels – one finished – handwritten – with hundreds and hundreds of comments and rewrites. And there were lots and lots of poems.

Discovering these note books was like finding the Dead Sea Scrolls. “Surprise. We never knew they were there. Surprise. We never knew this about mom.”

The finished novel was entitled, “The Red, Yellow and Brown Leaves of October.” The second novel – the unfinished one – had three titles, “The Budding Green Leaves of April.” “Spring and the River Was Rising,” and “Spring: New Life Every Year.” “Wow, she was thinking sequel,” Mary the middle sister said.

This scene took place with all the sisters sitting on mom’s bed. It was not a tear time – or a time of laughter – it was unexperienced time.

There were moments of amazed silence as they glanced at the notebooks.

John, the youngest, the only son, began reading mom’s poetry. Her handwriting was impeccable. He read,

PEACH

The soft fuzz of peaches,
like the first time I held you,
my child – sacrament – gift –
unwritten book – what will
appear on your pages? – how
will you deal with the knife slices,
the cuts and sorrows of life?
But they are tomorrow’s questions.
Right now – today – this moment -
just be relaxed in a bowl
with my four other peaches.
Whatever happens, my little one.
You look delicious.

Then John said, “Wow, I wonder which of the five of us that one is about?”

And all four sisters said in unison, “John, it’s about you. You were her favorite.”

“Me? I didn’t know that. I always thought it was you four – because I was always so outnumbered – the only male in the house.”

“Okay,” said Dolores. “What do we do with her writings?”

And all 3 sisters and brother said, “Publish them!”

Mary, the middle and most literary of the 5 said, “I can see all of us on Oprah. But first, let’s divvy them up –- read everything – and see where that takes us.”

And that’s what they did. We never know about each other – till we know what’s in the closet.

[Intead of a homily on today's readings, the 5th Sunday of Easter, I decided to write a story last night. This is total fiction. Moreover I didn't know how to end it. Keep your eye on the best seller list for the rest of the story.]

ICE SCREAM

Mom and dad were screaming!
Older sister and middle sister
were also screaming, but all the
youngest child could see was
the ice cream inside the freezer
section of their refrigerator –
and with a smile while waiting
he sang inwardly the old family song,
“I Scream,You Scream,
We All Scream for Ice Cream.”*

Then the afterthought,
“That will calm them down.”

© Andy Costello, Reflections, 2009
*Popular 1927 song, “I Scream,
You Scream, We All Scream

For Ice Cream”,

(Howard Johnson, Billy Moll,

Robert A. K. King). Transcribed

from vocals by Tom Stacks

performing with Harry Reser’s

Six Jumping Jacks,
recorded January 14, 1928.

*

A CHILD’S EYES

I had enough – too much,
so today I decided to see life
through my child’s eyes.
“Tell me what you see!”
The more she saw,

I saw.
The more I said,

“I see what you’re seeing,
the more I saw.”
Today I saw for the first time
what Jesus saw when he said,
“The one who makes himself
as little as this little child
is the greatest

in the kingdom of heaven.”**
Today I saw how much
I was missing. Wow.

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2009

* Statue of Mary and Jesus at

San Alfonso Retreat House,

overlooking the Atlantic Ocean,

West End, Long Branch, New Jersey
**Matthew 18:4 Jerusalem Bible;
Cf. also Mark 10: 15; Luke 18:17