DOES WATER

EVER COMPLAIN?

When you’re that strong, that present,
that necessary, when you’re
most of the planet
and most of the human body,
when there is so much of you,
does water ever complain?

When you’re lakes, ponds, rivers, seas,
oceans, mists, ice cubes, rain, snow,
drizzle, streams, steam, polar caps,
glaziers or inside all those pipes,
reservoirs and water towers,
does water ever complain?

When you know you appear in so many
different sizes, shapes and forms,
when you know you’re can be bigger
than countries and continents or can be
small like a drop of dew on a rose,
does water ever complain?

When you’re spinning around in
hurricanes and storms, pounding
beaches and boats, shaking and
shifting, wave after wave after wave,
or you’re just sitting in a tub,
does water ever complain?

When you’re polluted, left to stagnate,
when you discolored, poisoned or contaminated
with toxins and a mishmash of run off,
when you’re wasted, ignored or go unnoticed,
when those who speak up for you are ridiculed,
does water ever complain?

© Andy Costello, Reflections, 2009

PLAYING FOR PENNIES

The honeymoon was over – 5 days and 4 nights in the Poconos – May, 1950.

It was maybe 4 months after that – roughly 2 years before they got their first TV – sometime in 1952 – when he asked her – one evening around 7 P.M. – “Did you ever play cards growing up?”

The question had never come up while they were dating or engaged.

She said, “All the time. Why? Do you want to play cards?”

He said, “Yeah. I was thinking while coming home from work this afternoon that it might be fun if the two of us played cards. Our family, especially my mom, always loved playing Hearts – especially in the winter months – when nights got darker earlier.”

And so they started playing cards: pinochle. For the first two months it was just for fun. However, at a family get together, he was bragging to her sister that her sister was not too good when she was playing cards with him – that he won almost every game.

She heard the comment. She said nothing. She knew it was a blatant masculine bragging lie.

The next night out came a small, black, leather purse – with about 35 pennies in it.

He said, “What’s that?”

Then she made her public announcement. “From now on hon, we’re playing for pennies. A penny a hand. It’s a great way of keeping score – and when my sister comes over – she’ll be able to see how I beat you most of the time.”

And that’s what they did for the next bunch of years – a penny a hand.

Ooops! Then there were the saucers – tea cup saucers – one with blue trim – his saucer – and one with dark red trim – her saucer. And the pennies were to be kept in the each one’s saucer – no adding – no cheating – no sneaking from the other person’s plate – when the other person wasn’t looking. It was to be their scoreboard – and the honor system was to be followed.

One year there – they switched to 2 cents – somewhere around 1959 or 1960 when he got this great promotion.

Around 1962 she had a run of victories that made her red trimmed plate full. That’s when they skipped to glass Skippy Peanut Butter jars – with the blue screw on caps – with ballpoint pen “HIS” and “HER” scratched on the tops. It was before Sharpie Pens. She filled three full empty peanut butter jars and it was killing him.

Oh, and he never stole from her plate or jar – even when her sister came over and busted him for not being that great a pinochle player as advertised. His wife said nothing. She let her three jars speak for themselves.

Their kids – their 4 kids – when they were little, couldn’t reach the peanut butter jars – and steal or play with the pennies. When they were older the jars went up on top of a best china cabinet – and seeing their parents laughing and talking about life and them – while playing cards night after night after night and night – they knew you don’t mess with the scoreboards – mom and dad’s penny jars – HIS and HER penny jars – in fact either of them would know immediately if someone stole some pennies.

Without saying a word, each kept his or her eye on what the current score was. He’d have a run. She’d have a run. The most one of them was ahead of the other was in 1984 when she had 8 full Skippy Peanut Butter jars – filled with pennies.

Somewhere along the line they switched the playing field from the kitchen table to the dining room table.

And they played most evenings – all through their marriage. There were maybe 7 times they had a good fight – and there was no game that night – but they didn’t keep score on that – just the card games. In fact, each time, wanting to play cards would end the silent anger or frustration – one had with the other.

One Sunday at Mass the story in the gospel was the story of widow who put her two cents in the poor box – and nobody noticed it – except Jesus – who said she put in more than all the rest – because she gave from her want and they gave from their extra. She gave all that she had. They gave what they gave to be seen by everyone.

That Sunday evening when they were playing cards, they talked about that gospel story. The sermon was a blank. They ended up with a saying and a laugh between each other. After a victory, pointing to their jar, they would say, “Put your two cents into my poor box.”

That Wednesday night – just after that Sunday evening – when they sat down to play cards, her 6 jars were empty. 6 full jars was the current score and she was ahead – way ahead. It killed him when he would walk into the house and go through the dining room and notice those full jars of pennies up there on the top of the china cabinet.

Taking the rubber band off the cards, pointing to her empty jars on the top of the fine china cabinet, and the empty one next to her at the table, he asked, “What happened? What happened to your pennies?”

She said, “I was thinking that my sister is coming over Saturday and she’ll go right to the pennies – and see how much I’m killing you, so to save you embarrassment, I decided to get rid of them.”

“What? Are you crazy? If I was ahead – I would never do that.”

“Well, hon, that’s the difference between men and women – every time.”

“No,” he said, “You’re far more competitive than anyone I know.”

And she said, “I know. I’m just kidding. I was thinking of last Sunday’s gospel about the poor widow who put her 2 cents into the poor box – and nobody noticed it but Jesus. So this afternoon I went up to church when nobody was in there and put all those pennies I took from you and put them in the 4 poor boxes in our church.”

“You’re kidding?” he said. “You’re kidding?”

And she said, “Nope, I’m not kidding, Now put your 2 cents on the table and cut the cards – so I can start filling my jars again.”

And so they played on and on and on – all through their marriage.

Their kids saw this as a beautiful background for their parents married life together.

TV – then video games – then computer games – especially Solitaire would dominate their kids’ play life. However, one of their 4 kids has been playing cards with his wife – 23 years of their marriage now – but they use note pads instead of jars to keep score.

And before I forget, they gave each of their 4 kids a brand new deck of cards and 2 full jars of Skippy Peanut Butter for a wedding present. And one more thing – a bunch of years ago they switched from glass to plastic peanut butter jars – because she dropped a glass jar, one evening while bringing her full jar, from the top of the cabinet to the dining room table where they played their games.

In 2004 and 2005 – during his cancer and then his death – they played pinochle every afternoon – 2 pennies a game. He got ahead – and almost had 2 full jars of pennies – when he died. The 2 Skippy Peanut Butter jars filled with pennies went into his open casket – along with a deck of cards and his rosary and two Army pins – and when folks asked her at the funeral parlor, “What’s with the pennies in the Skippy Jars?” she would tell them it was their way of keeping score who was ahead in their card games and they had been playing cards now all through their 55 years of marriage. They she sort of stepped back from the casket – as if he was listening and added, “but as he was dying these past few months, I let him win most of the time – because I wanted him to be ahead when he died.”

She didn’t lie. It wasn’t a blatant female caring lie. She let him win.

She thought it would make a good story.

It was her way of putting her 2 cents in.




Instead of a homily for this 32 Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B, last night I decided to write a story. I find stories easier than a homily, especially when my brain is dead and the readings have some tought stuff in them - that call for lots of reading and research - like today's second reading from Hebrews 9: 24-28. The word "jar" in today's first reading [1st Book of Kings 17: 10-16] and the words "two small coins" in today's gospel [Mark 12:38-44] - from which the phrase, "putting in my two cents" comes, triggered this story.

THE CEMETERY IN OUR SOUL*

Cemetery stones are all together
in the dark green cemetery
in our soul – our dead.

The soul can move graves around

and put them all together – our dead.

Our stone strong memories do this.

And as we walk around the clumpy,
sometimes soggy soil, we stop
at each stone. We remember
the person buried there.
We cry. We smile. We pray.
We feel the specific of each one
we knew and loved: spouse,
mom, dad, brother, sister,
son, daughter, nephew, niece
grandparent, friend ….

And the older we get,
the longer the list, the more

the stones, the bigger
the cemetery in our soul.

And someday we will be remembered
by those whose souls we inhabited
while we lived, and now as dead.

And for those with faith, Jesus –
the Risen One – is also here,
ready to embraces us in the garden,
in the cemetery, in our soul.
We cling to Jesus for a moment.
He isn’t the gardener. He is
Resurrection and New Life.
Then he tells us, he has to move on,
we have to move on. ** We don’t.
We linger. We celebrate.

What would life be like if we didn’t have
those we loved, buried here, all together,
in the cemetery of our souls?

* A reflection for All Soul's Day, 2009

** Cf. John 20:11-18

© Andy Costello, Reflections, 2009

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily is, “Happy Halloween!”

It’s November 1st, the morning after Halloween – and hopefully a few candies are still in the dish – but hopefully most of it made it to kids’ pockets and bags – and bellies – and hopefully givers’ bellies as well.

Happy Halloween!

As we all know Halloween means “All Hallow's Eve”.

As we all know from the Our Father, “hallow” means “holy” – as in “hallowed be Thy Name”. “Hallow” is an old English word and the “Pater Noster”, the Our Father, is one of the first things missionaries translate into a language – and we have been saying the Our Father with old English words ever since: “art” which in time became “are”; “hallow”; “thy”; and “trespasses”.

As we all know Halloween calls for kids and sometimes adults too - to dress up – costume up – to play “Trick or Treat” – pull pranks – let the ghoul and fool in us – the dark side of us – the far side of us – out a bit – but also to enjoy some treats and treat each other right.

As we all know we all have a Saint and a Sinner inside of us.

Imagination theologians like to say that there is a good angel on one shoulder and a bad angel on the other shoulder – and both are whispering into our ears from time to time.

“Temptation. Tempation. Temptation. Try it, you’ll like it.” And from the other ear we hear, “Lead us not into temptation…. Trouble. Trouble. Trouble.”

Native Americans described it as the good dog - bad dog – inside all of us trick – and they are fighting each other from time to time. Then when someone asks, "Which dog wins?", a wisdom figure says, "The one we feed."

Halloween: the sinner sneaks out a bit. We wear the mask! We hide. We play our tricks. We sneak around in the dark. The scary is allowed to roam. Spider webs and cardboard skeletons hang on our porches and door windows. “OOOOOOHHHH! OOOOOOHHH!”

COSTUMES

About a month ago I was reading somewhere that stores that sell Halloween stuff were not expecting to do that well this year. The article said it was something like a 5 billion dollar a year business. I’m not sure about the numbers – but it was up there.

As Jesus said, “Unless you be like little children, you won’t enter into the kingdom of God.” Kids at Halloween teach us so much – much of which we have forgotten – especially the importance of imagination and play – sweets and treats – creativity and party – celebration and costume – and tricks – OOOOOOH the tricks we play on each other.

Isn’t it great to see families coming up with great costumes for kids for school – for marching around at Halloween time? I have a good friend, Al, in New Jersey. Halloween was the best time of the year for him – making great costumes and a haunted house in their garage. His wife Sylvia thought he was crazy, but their four kids and the neighbor’s kids all loved it.

Happy Halloween.

I saw a little girl the other day dressed as a Lady Bug. So cute.

I once saw a little girl dressed as a princess for Halloween with a stick with a star on the end of it. I asked her, “What’s that stick you have in your hand?” Looking indignantly, she said, “It’s not a stick!” – as in, “It’s not a stick stupid.” She yelled out, “I’m a princess and this is my magic wand and I can turn you into anything I want.” I said, “Turn me into a Chihuahua!” And she closed her eyes and peeking touched my arm with her wand and said, “You’re a Chihuahua!” And I went, “Arf! Arf!” trying to hit a high note. “Arf! Arf” and she laughed and laughed and laughed.

The magic of life.

The magic of children.

ALL SAINTS DAY

I love it when kids in Catholic schools dress up as Saints.

I remember being in a parish in Ohio – and we were preaching a parish mission there. During the week it was Halloween on October 31st and that early evening we saw kids walking around town in their costumes and candy collectors. Then came the next day, November 1st, All Saints Day. And the whole school of about 300 kids came to Mass dressed as saints.

It was quite a sight – to see and sing, “When the Saints Come Marching In”. There were kids wearing sheets and blankets, drapes and towels, holding broken branches and hockey sticks and cardboard hearts. I could recognize St. Francis of Assisi in one kid because he was wearing a brown bathrobe with a fake bird on his shoulder. One kid came as St. Bruno – wearing robes and walking his dog up the aisle. One girl in a white robe had Christmas electric lights – candles – in a circle on her head – candles pointing upwards and blinking. Someone had connected her to some kind of battery pack on her back. She was St. Lucy – Lucy meaning light – the patron saint of the eyes.

I don’t know about you, but I like home made costumes better than store bought costumes – but I also think of those who are trying to make a living selling holiday stuff.

TODAY’S READINGS

Today’s readings for All Saints Day – whisper into our good ear – the good stuff – the meaning of life teachings – the how to be a saint stuff.

The first reading from The Book of Revelation has the great imaginary vision of what it’s going to be like on the other side of death – the great parade – the great march – the stuff of the song, “When the Saints Come Marching In” – that we want to be in there number – when the saints come marching in.

How many will be there? Will it be one hundred and forty-four thousand?

Poo poo – boo boo – on those who limit God to that – or try to include only themselves in that number – and put all the others – outside their number – or even put them in hell!

The next words in this morning’s first reading are the words I love, “After this I had a vision of a great multitude, which no one can count, from every nation, race, people, and tongue. They stood before the throne and before the Lamb, wearing while robes and holding palm branches in their hands. They cried out in a loud voice: ‘Salvation comes from our God, who is seated on the throne, and from the Lamb.’”

Read that first reading again – while you’re sitting here today….

Today’s second reading from The First Letter of John is filled with a positive message – the call to be children of God – because God loves us so much – and there will be a time when all the masks we have of God – will fall off God – and we shall see God as God is.

Wooo! Wow! What will that be like?

Pray – chant – sing in the shower – internalize – today’s psalm response - as a mantra, “Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.” “Lord, I long to see your face.”

And today’s gospel – presents to us – and to all the crowds of people who are living and who have lived and who will come after us, the beatitudes – Jesus’ secrets of what happiness is.

Happy Halloween. Happy life.

Want to be happy, want to be a saint, want blessedness:

+ be poor in spirit, simplify, simplify, simplify,

+ mourn when you lose loved ones – and be there for those who have lost loved ones – make that sacrifice to go to the funeral home when we lose a neighbor or give them a call – and continue to connect with them,

+ be humble,

+ hunger and thirst for what is right,

+ show mercy, forgive,

+ be clean of heart and you’ll start to see God everywhere,

+ be a peacemaker,

+ be a child, okay some will think you’re nuts or stupid, and make comments, but underneath the mask and the words, they too know down deep, heaven is no trick, rather, it will be a great treat forever and ever, Amen.

Happy Day after Halloween. Happy All Saints Day.

WHAT DO YOU WANT ME
TO DO FOR YOU?

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily is, “What Do You Want Me To Do For You?”

That’s one of those questions we use all our life. “What Do You Want Me To Do For You?” “Can I help you?” “What do you want?” “What do you need?” “What are you looking for?”

Today’s gospel presents a significant scene for us to look at.

A blind man hears that Jesus is walking by – and he screams out, “Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me.”

The blind man’s name is, “Bar Timaeus”. “Bar” meaning “son” He is the son of Timaeus.

As an aside, this has nothing to do with my sermon, isn’t language and life fascinating? In English and many other languages, that word “son” goes after a name – as in Johnson, Nelson, Peterson, Jackson, Michelson. In Polish, “ski”, the word for “son”, goes after the name, as in “Kowalski”. “Kowal” means “smith”, so Kowalski means “son of a smith" or “blacksmith”. In the past, when it comes to names, it doesn’t look like daughters meant as much as sons. I haven’t done more than an inch of research on this – so I’m saying this with a bit of hesitation. Then in other languages the “Son” comes first. In Irish, English and Scottish. “Mac” or “Mc” or “Fitz” means “son”. I also read that “O” – as in “O’Hagan” or “O’Donnell” or “O’Malley” means "grandson of." I had never heard of that before.

So here in today’s gospel, the Hebrew word “bar” comes first. We have heard the word “bar” if we’ve ever received an invitation from a Jewish friend to attend a “bar” mitzvah for a son or “bat” mitzvah, for a daughter. A 12 or 13 year old Jewish girl or boy is moving into adulthood – and is now responsible for keeping the commandments and doing acts of kindness.

Okay, Bar Timaeus – the Son of Timaeus – screams out for help.

And Jesus stops and we have the great question, “What Do You Want Me To Do For You?”

And Bartimaeus replies the obvious, “Master, I want to see.”

And Jesus tells him, “Go your way; your faith has saved you.” And Mark concludes, “Immediately he received his sight and followed him on the way.”

PRAYER METHOD
If you want another simple way to pray, find a quiet spot in your home, and just sit there for a few moments of quiet. Realize you are in the presence of Jesus – who is with us all days even to the end of the world. Then hear Jesus say to you, “What do you want me to do for you?” Think! Then make your request. Tell Jesus what you want.

When I studied and then taught Jesuit spirituality, it was the same basic formula. Whether you take 10, 20, 30 or 60 minutes for prayer, ask this question of yourself, “What do I want or desire?” Then after reflecting on that, comes the kicker question, “What does Jesus want or desire of me?”

What do I want to see?

What does Jesus want me to see?

The key word and theme is “want” or “desire”.

Remember Hannibal Lecter – the sick and psychotic character in the movie, The Silence of the Lambs, what he asked Clarice, “What do you covet?” “What do you want?” “What do you desire?”

THIS SUNDAY WE WANT YOU TO SEE AND THEN DO SOMETHING

This Sunday we want you to see and then to do something.

This Sunday we are making a request at all the Masses.

This Sunday we have one desire.

It’s not a request for money.

We want you to see something and then do something.

I was thinking, our sermons often don’t have as clear an action step as today’s homily has.

Since Annapolis is the state capital city for Maryland, the Maryland Catholic Conference has an office in downtown Annapolis – over there on Francis Street – not too far from Ego Alley.

The office is there for the Archdiocese of Baltimore, Washington and Wilmington, because all three have parishes here in Maryland.

The Maryland Catholic Conference is the state level of the U.S. Catholic Conference.

The Maryland Catholic Conference advocates Catholic teachings concerning different issues – such as:

“Supporting life at every stage, reaching out to pregnant women, and ending the destruction of unborn human life.

“Giving all families access to quality educational choices, and supporting Catholic school students and teachers.

“Preserving the safety net for low-income families, immigrants, and other vulnerable populations.

“Repealing the death penalty, and

“Upholding marriage and the family.”

There are other issues, but that’s one list.

Now here’s what you can do. In the benches there are brochures from the Maryland Catholic Conference. Inside it has a registration form.

Please fill it out.

After you fill it out, please put it in the collection basket today. There are pencils in the benches as well.

Please print. Print. Print. Print – so those reading it can see!

They want your name, address, and e-mail address.

They will not sell your e-mail address or regular address to anyone.

I always hesitate on that one – but that’s what they are promising. When I do these kinds of things, on my regular address I sometimes add a fake middle initial – and jot down whom I sent it to – to see when I get new “junk mail” or what have you, how they got my name.

Inside the brochure there is check list for issues and areas that you want to promote and push: education, family life, respect for life, or social concerns.

When an important vote is coming up, you will receive an e-mail alert – but only on the issues you checked off.

You will receive a pre-drafted message to send to your lawmaker.

Having your home address, the Catholic Advocacy Network, will give you the information on how to contact your specific legislators.

You can send the message as is or modify it to suit your way of articulating an issue.

Most e-mails will be sent between January and April – when the Maryland General Assembly is in session – but some alerts will be sent at other times.

A QUESTION

When our parish and all the parishes of this diocese were asked to preach on this for the Sunday sermon, I had a question. Do e-mails and letters have an impact on legislators?

This was the answer I received: when our Advocates go to see a legislator, say on Lobby Night, if there has been thousands and thousands of letters, that has a much bigger impact than 15 letters.

Obviously.

And it was added, it has an impact – not just on lobby night.

So that’s the answer I received. Those of you who serve and work in government and are in these areas know a lot more about this than I do.

A PERSONAL EXAMPLE ABOUT ADVOCACY

One evening, years ago I went to an Anne Arundel County Council meeting. One of the issues that Churches Without Boundaries was advocating was Workforce Housing legislation. If someone was putting up a new development, the idea was to make 12 or 15 % of the new homes, less expensive, so teachers, police, firefighters and others could buy an affordable home. These homes would be smaller – with less expensive insides, etc., so people who work in Anne Arundel County could live in Anne Arundel County. We went on a bus ride to see this kind of housing in other counties. When we were driving down different streets, we were asked which homes were the Workforce Housing Homes. Very few of us could tell. This legislation made sense to me. It was something good go to advocate. I know Churches Without Boundaries has a new name – but the purpose is for churches and synagogues to promote good stuff. Someone said that what we were advocating would probably lose – but it’s good to keep pushing. That evening about 20 people were speaking for this legislation and 2 were against. When I had my two minutes for advocating the idea, I said somewhere in the mix, “I heard that you have made your mind up on this so already, so I don’t know why we are speaking.” I noticed that got heads popping up – and the response – “No that’s why we are having this hearing.” It went down to defeat.

CONCLUSION

The title of my homily or sermon is, “What Do You Want Me to Do For You?”

We’re asking you to see if this is what you want to do. Are there issues here that you want to advocate?

If there are, take the brochure in your bench. Print your name, your addrss and / or e-mail address. Then write your letters – starting with the form letter that you are sent. Study the question. Talk about the question with each other. Revise it till it speaks your faith, hope and charity. Then advocate. Find out if anyone is listening or reading letters.

Hopefully, our legislators and law makers want to see – not just what polls and letters are pushing for – but hopefully for what is right and sacred, just and helpful, for the common good of all of us – regardless of party and religion or non-religion.


+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
5 QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION

1) Read today's 3 readings out loud - by yourself or with others - and then jot down themes or a word or two that jump out at you - for further discussion, study, wondering about.

2) Today's first reading from Jeremiah has the words "shout" and "proclaim". St. Teresa of Avila said she'd like to climb the highest mountain and shout to the world to pray. If you had one message that you could proclaim to the world in a Super Bowl TV commercial or on the evening TV news or from the highest mountain, what would that message be?

3) This Sunday was declared "priest awareness" or "pray for priests" Sunday. Do you see a priest shortage? If you do, why aren't folks looking at becoming a priest?

4) What do you see now - that you didn't see 10 or 20 years ago?

5) What life giving issue are you off on: more babies, education, stable marriages, a better environment, the arts, parks, jobs, unions, jobs, immigration, war and peace, death penalty, drug rehabilitation, jail sentencing, ________?



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

The picture on top is a copy of the brochure that was in the benches of our church this weekend.

CRUSHED

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily is, “Crushed!”

On Wednesday morning I went on for two funerals here at St. John Neumann, neither of which I had to preach. Wonderful. So I’m sitting here in these benches before Mass and I pick up the “Breaking Bread Missalette and Hymnal” and started reading the readings for this Sunday. I don’t do that earlier enough each week.

I said a prayer, “Come Holy Spirit! Give me an insight that I need to hear and folks need to hear this coming Sunday?” I begin reading the First Reading from Isaiah. It begins, “The Lord was pleased to crush him in infirmity.”

Ooops.

We’ll avoid that one.

I continued reading – the rest of the First Reading, the Psalm, the Second Reading, and today’s Gospel from Mark.

Then I went on for the two funerals. Mary Ellen Heibel’s funeral was at 9 AM. She had a great life – the last third had suffering in the midst of the everyday joy of life – a kidney transplant, cancer, a healing, and then pneumonia, her final sickness – and then death at the age of 71. Then at 10:30 I celebrated Brenda Barnes’ funeral – breast cancer – treatment, remission, and then recurrence – and then death at the age of 66. Deacon Leroy Moore preached. He did a great job.

While being there during these two funerals, the opening words of today’s First Reading stayed with me, “The Lord was pleased to crush her in infirmity.”

ISAIAH 53:10: THE LAST OF THE SUFFERING SERVANT SONGS

Thursday I said to myself, “Do some homework and preach on that word ‘crushed’ in today’s first reading.” So I took some time to think about, reflect upon and look up stuff on that opening sentence in today’s First Reading. I thought: I don’t agree that Lord is pleased to crush people in infirmity. I never agreed that God zaps people – or picks people out for suffering. There is suffering – obviously – but how we talk about it with God words – theology – has kept a lot of people away from God and Church.

What’s your theology – literally your “God words” about suffering?

I started a book on the theme of suffering – years ago – and get back to it from time to time – but it’s still sitting there in process. Maybe I’ll get a good insight before I die.

TAKE THE WORDS LITERALLY

You can take the words from today’s First Reading literally, “The Lord was pleased to crush him in infirmity.” Even though commentators say this text Isaiah 53:10 varies in the different manuscripts that have come down to us, you can say that it means what it says. There are texts in the Scriptures that have writers of those scriptures who see God and suffering this way. And I hear people today with that way of seeing God. And the novena prayers for Our Mother of Perpetual Help that we say every Wednesday morning have that view – God chastising people.

Proverbs 3:12 says, “For whom the Lord loves, he rebukes – as a father the son he favors.”

And Psalm 94:12 says, “Happy is the one whom you discipline, O Lord, the one you instruct in your teaching.”

That theme – that outlook - certainly can be found in scriptures – and then there is Jesus. Did the Father want him to suffer all that he suffered when arrested, beaten, and forced to carry his cross to Calvary where he died on the cross?

Mysterious stuff! How many Rabbis and theologians wrestled with the question: Did Abraham think God wanted him to sacrifice his son? [Cf. Genesis 22: 1-19] Did God the Father want Jesus, His Only Son, to be sacrificed the way he was sacrificed? Look at the cross and think and pray about this. [Cf. John 3: 16; Hebrews 9: 15 to 10:18]

ONCE MORE: WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT SUFFERING?

What are your thoughts and insights about suffering? And death? Everyone has to deal with pain and tragedy – their own – and those around us. What are your thoughts? What’s your theology?

Life has lots of situations that can crush us: Death; Divorce; Cancer; Affairs; Being dropped by another; Alcoholism; Abuse; Mess – lots of mess. The scenarios of suffering and crush are there in the wings – and sometimes appear center stage in our life.

Bring them to God? Bring them to God with the Book of Job in hand – and you’ll get some insights and challenges. That whole Book of Job deals with the question of suffering. The writer dreams up the worst case scenario any human being could be hit with – the loss of everything – but especially to loss of his family - but Job will not blame God for his loses.

Bring them to God with the insight in the Talmud, “Teach thy tongue to say, ‘I do not know!’” That’s one of my favorite sayings and it has given me peace. I don’t have to know the mind of God. I’m dying to find out, but not yet.

Bring them to God with Jesus in the garden and say, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me – but your will be done, not mine.” [Luke 22: 42] or say with Jesus on the cross, “Father, into your hands I hand over my spirit.” [Luke 23;46]

Bring them to God with Buddha in hand? He says if your remove the desire to control suffering and death – as well as life, you can get an amazing enlightenment. Learn to let go of trying to control everything. If you have teenagers you've already learned this.

Bring them to God with reason? Be philosophical. Think about what your thinking about. Think about your outlook and positions – and consider their implications.

I am not God, so I and everything falls apart at some point. Skin wrinkles. Bones ache. Tires wear out. Color fades. Earthquakes happen. Waves pound the shore and the rocks. Ballpoint pens run out of ink. People die. What would life be if there wasn’t death? Reason that out. If we want cars that go 65 miles per hour – at least – if we need to make turns – if we want 3 lanes – if some people drive slower than others – if we want to switch lanes – expect crashes from time to time. If nobody died, would we age? Would life become boring? Would undertakers be out of business? How about doctors and pharmaceuticals? What would the skin look like of 2,000 year old people? What would marriage be like? Would there be traffic tie ups and more crashes with drivers who are 5,000 years old?
Put on the philosopher cap from time to time. Can we thank God for how interesting life is and how meaningful life is because of death? Yes, there is suffering, but the pain in our left hip or a headache gives us something to talk about. Think of everyday metaphors. Could we say, “I’m dead right now!” if there was no crush in life?

What about weather? We’re aware of rain this weekend with the Annapolis Boat Show. When people say to me, “Father, you’re in charge of getting us good weather.” I say, "No way, Jose!" No way!” If our prayers brought rain only at night on Wednesdays, would someone complain about that? If the weather was always perfect – and predictable – would people say to those who just came back from Ireland, “How was the weather?” Would our prayers for controlling weather put the TV weatherwoman or man out of business? Do people watch the weather channel in Phoenix? Probably, but probably not about the weather in Phoenix.

Or think about Jacques Maritain’s question: What about the Problem of Good? I read about this while studying philosophy back in the 1960’s. Whenever some one brings up to me, the Problem of Evil, I say, “Well, what about the Problem of God?” Why is there so much good in life? Why do most babies come out of the womb alive and with ten fingers? Explain.

Then there is the chance to help each other when one is sick.

There is the possibility of communion and connection and cell phone calls with each other when we feel crushed. A sorrow shared is cut in half.

And how about having some humor when it comes to suffering - to be able to laugh at suffering and death in the face?

The Irish – but lots of other people sometimes evidence humor at death. I don't know who or what nationality Moriya Sen’An, is, but he or she said, “Bury me when I die beneath a wine barrel in a tavern. With luck the cask will leak.”

I was at a deathbed of a lady last Tuesday night at Anne Arundel Medical Center – with her family standing there. She died. I look at the monitor and said, “I hope you have a sense of humor, but look at what the monitor is saying, ‘Please Standby. ’ Here you are standing by Henrietta – helping each other deal with the deep pain of death.” And I saw a smile come on the face of two of the family - in the mingle of many tears.

STORIES

Besides words what are your stories or examples about suffering that help you?

We’ve all heard the Chinese Folktale called, “The Lost Horse.” It has lots of variations.

Here's one:

Once upon a time there was a father and a son and they had one horse. Wife and mom had died.

One day the horse runs away and the neighbors sympathize with the father for his loss, and he says, “We’ll see.”

A few days later the horse comes back with a pair of mustangs and the neighbors come and congratulate the father and he says, “We’ll see.”

Well, while the son was training one of the new horses, he falls off the horse and breaks a leg. The neighbors come and offer sympathy and the father says, “We’ll see. We’ll see.”

The next day the military comes along and grabs every available young men for an army and they can’t take his son with his broken leg – so the neighbors come and say, “You’re lucky. You’re lucky.” And he says, “We’ll see. We’ll see.”

In doing some research for this homily, I came up with another story. I had never read it before. It’s the same story as the horse – but this time it’s from Jewish literature and tradition.

“Once when Rabbi Akiva was traveling, he came to a certain town where he looked for lodgings. None was available. So he says, ‘Whatever the Holy One does is good.’ He goes and spends the night in the open field. With him, he had a donkey, a rooster, and a lamp. A lion came and ate the donkey, a cat came and ate the rooster, and a gust of wind came up and blew out the candle. Again he said, ‘Whatever the Holy One does is all for the good.’ That same night soldiers came and carried off the inhabitants of the town. Then Rabbi Akiva said to his companions, ‘Did I not tell you that “Whatever the Holy One does is all for the good”?’”*

At first I thought: good story. Then I thought, "What about those inhabitants - whose lives were crushed?"

CONCLUSION: ATTITUDE

So yes, sufferings can crush us, but our attitude – our way of dealing with suffering – our way of talking to ourselves about suffering – our way of talking to God about suffering, can make a big difference.

Through the years I find myself saying when I have lost loved ones and experienced sufferings, “Suffering enters the human heart to create there places that never existed before.” I say to God in prayer, “You sent your Son into this world and so you know suffering, so be with me in this suffering – and through it – help me to understand others who go through suffering. Give me a more understanding heart.”


+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ * Cf. The Book of Legends, Sefer Ha-Aggadah, edited by Hayim Nahman Bialik and Yehoshua Hana Ravnitzky, Translated by William G. Braude, Shocken Books, New York, 1992, page 716, #302. Listen to these words on the inside front jacket of this book, "The first comlplete English translation of the Hebrew classic Sefer Ha-Aggadah brings to the English-speaking world the greatest and best-loved anthology of classical Rabbinic literature ever compiled. First published in Odessa in 1908-11, it was recognized immediately as a masterpiece in its own right, and reprinted numerous times in Israel." My confrere, Father Donald Miniscalco, CSSR, recommended it to me and when I finally found a copy in New York City in a Jewish store, I hesitated, because it cost $75 - so I make sure I use it when reflecting on Jewish scripture texts.


++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
FIVE DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Alone or especially with another or others, pick two of the following five questions, for discussion and comments.

1) Reading today’s 3 readings and Psalm, is there a word or a theme that jumps off the page for you?

2) In 50 words or less, how would you answer the question, “How come God allows all this suffering?” Tsunami – cancer – earthquakes, etc.?

3) Looking at my life, the greatest thing that I had to suffer was?

4) Looking at my life, I really helped so and so when he or she was suffering?

5) Is there a story or an example or a memory that really helps you deal with suffering?

OUT FOR AN AFTERNOON WALK

Sun – glistening – glazed light,
like a covering of wax
on every inch of the neighborhood sidewalks….
Kids on bikes – skateboarders jumping off steps –
a well kept house with a grandmother,
with a little baby on a porch –
with an easy smile,
with an easy wave,
with leaves waving as well,
hanging there before their fall,
also enjoying a moderate moving October wind,
a thin – tall – fast darting U.P.S.
guy running up some steep steps,
he too giving me a smile and soundless “Hi!”….
Afternoon walks no way as demanding
as our backpacking trips in the Rockies
but yet,
these mini-vacations
are as necessary to my daily soul.

© Andy Costello, Reflections, 2009