HAPPY THANKSGIVING

Table, turkey, conversation, connecting,
remembering, family, fun, lots of dessert….
Hello’s, hugs, hi’s, home….
A lot more time just sitting there ….
Not rushing to finish the meal – just enjoying
mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, pies,
family specials – recipes passed down –
thankful for each other – each other – each other –
realizing who’s there – what has happened
to each other in this past year – or since the last time
we saw each other. It’s a glimpse
of the way it was and the way it will be.
Giving Thanks. Happy Thanksgiving.

© Andy Costello, Blog # 600

Reflections, 2009

CHRIST THE WHAT?_____
FILL IN THE BLANK

The title of my homily, better story, is, “Christ the What?___ Fill in the Blank.”

Once upon a time there was this priest who didn’t like the title of “Christ the King” for Christ. He just didn’t like it. And every time it came time to celebrate the feast of Christ the King, the last Sunday of the Church year, he would go “Oooooooh – No!” – and do some inward grumbling and complaining.

He would celebrate the feast – with a smile on his face – but an unhappy mind in his mind.

So with the feast of Christ the King about to happen, he decided to see if he could contact Christ in person – and get his take on the title – or what have you.

He first sat with Christ in prayer – in church – in the presence of Jesus and voiced his question and dislike.

No answer. Silence. Quiet.

He checked the phone book. Just by an odd chance, maybe there would be a phone number for Christ in there. No luck. But, hey, you never know.

He called the local bishop – didn’t get him – but got a secretary, “By any chance, any chance whatsoever, would Jesus Christ have a phone number?”

The bishop’s secretary thinking this was just one more nut – said, “No! But I can give you the pope’s phone number.”

“Now that’s getting somewhere,” he thought.

He called the pope and got the pope’s residence, and heard the words, “German, hit 1, Italian, hit 2, Spanish, hit 3, French, hit 4, English hit 5.” He hit 5 and got a real live human being, “Pope’s Residence. What can I do for you?”

He stated his first name – didn’t say he was a priest – and then said, “I’m trying to get Christ’s phone number.”

The answer was simple – but direct, “Are you crazy? Christ doesn’t have a phone or a phone number. Good bye.”

With that he almost gave up, but the thought hit him, “Try Google! Everyone says you can get everything on Google.”

So he tried Google. He typed in, “Jesus Christ’s Phone Number.”

Sure enough there were hits – lots of possibilities. As he looked at them they were mostly Church phone numbers – churches with “Jesus Christ” in their title, but there on screen 109, was a phone number. “Should I call? Probably some strange ranger in northwest Alaska or Southeast Australia will answer, but I’ll try it.”

He dialed the number he found there on Google under “Jesus Christ’s Phone Number.”

“Hello.” It was a calm, gentle voice, and in English. “Can I help you?”

Totally shocked he said, “Jesus Christ! Is this Jesus Christ?”

“Yes. Can I help you?”

“Well, I’m one of your followers – well, a, a, a, I better admit it up front – I’m a priest and with your feast of Christ the King coming up, I just want to find out, if you like that title – a, because to be honest, I don’t like it.”

“Okay, you don’t like it? Just call me Jesus of Nazareth or Jesus, Son of Mary, or whatever you would like. Alpha? Omega? Shepherd. Lamb. Light. Whatever?”

“Ah, okay, but, well, ----- well were you really a king or King of the Jews?”

“What did you say your name was? You sound just like Pontius Pilate. He asked me that same question. Check the gospel reading for the feast. I think that’s the gospel story they actually use for that feast.”

“You’re right, but I’m not sure , if it’s all right, not to like the title, ‘Christ the King.’”

“Okay.”

“Well, I’m sure you heard all this. In our country, we don’t have kings and it seems calling you a “king” puts you up there on a platform – or out of touch with people – and all that – and I know that’s not you.”

“Yes, that’s okay. You’re right. I told Pilate and so many others, I’m not the type of king who has armies and rich robes. I walk dusty roads and ride a donkey on odd occasions. I wash feet and rub shoulders with women in crowds who have blood problems – but I also sat and ate in the homes of rich tax collectors – been at weddings – and I let a sinful women wash my feet and dry them with her hair. Wow did that one trigger comments. Or if you want a real big contrast, look at what happened on Palm Sunday and then check out what happened the following Friday.”

“Oh, okay. I guess I’m on the same page with you here a bit.”

“Relax. But can I ask you a question, ‘Who do you say that I am?’”

“That’s funny … very funny Jesus. That’s the same question you asked Peter and your disciples when everyone was trying to figure out who you are.”

“Yes. So just call me Jesus. Just stay awake with me once an a while – for an hour – or whatever. Just wrestle with me – with the questions I was wrestling with – doing my Father’s Will – getting people to enjoy the Sabbath and not make it a burden. Life can be tough enough. Stop to see the beauty of the birds of the air and the flowers in the field. Realize that wheat and grapes have to die to become bread and wine. So too people – they have to sacrifice and die to themselves, if they want to be in real communion with each other. Help me to stop people from throwing stones at others – to stop judging others – to see themselves in their brothers and sisters – to love one another – to go the extra mile with each other – to give the shirt off your back – to turn the other cheek – to forgive 70 times 7 times – all that stuff you can find in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. I just want to eat with people – to be with people – to be in their lives – each day. That’s all. I want them to not be at a distance from me – to evolve, to come down from their trees and invite me into their homes.”

“Oh, okay Jesus. Thanks. Can I call you again?”

“Any time. Thank you – and best of luck with your sermon and don’t forget, I’s the king! Just kidding. Just kinging. Thanks for ringing.”

COME FOLLOW ME!

“Come follow me!”

“How far?”

“Come follow me!”

“But what can I take with me?”

“Come follow me.”

“But I don’t know where we’ll end up?”

“Come follow me!”

“Can I quit and come back, if I don’t like it?”

“Come follow me!”

“Who are you to ask someone to just drop everything – family, networks, dreams, and follow you?”

“Come follow me!”

“Why are you laughing?”

"Come follow me and find out."

* Drawing on top by a friend of mine,

the graphic artist, Al Pacitti
© Andy Costello, Reflections, 2009

*

YEE GADGETS!

Talk, talk, talk,
text, text, text,
twitter, twitter, twitter,
chatter, chatter, chatter,
Bluetooth, toot, toot,
cellphones, iPhones,
BlackBerries, Droids,
in classrooms, bathrooms,
church, car and street …
Facebook, My Space,
text and pictures,
yak, yak, yak,
words, words, words,
whisper, whisper, whisper,
listening, listening, listening,
while driving and eating,
but is anyone really talking to each other?
Is anyone on the cutting edge of another –
tasting the substance of their true bread,
tasting their essence, being nourished
with Holy Communion with them?
Can anyone hear the silent Love of God
in life’s everyday moments?
Can anyone see the Lord
walking on the waters?
Is anyone walking with the Lord
in the cool of the evening?
Is anyone walking and talking

with the Lord on the Road to Emmaus?**

Image on top borrowed from someone*
** Cf. Luke 24: 13-35
© Andy Costello, Reflections 2009

CONVERSATION # 5

“Hi!”

“Hello!”

“Where have you been? Haven’t talked to you in the longest time.”

“I’ve been around.”

“Sorry, I’m not talking to you. I’m talking to someone on my cell.”

© Andy Costello, Reflections, 2009

CONVERSATION # 4

“Hi!”

“Hi!”

“How’s it going?”

“Good. How’s it going for you?”

“Not so good. Yesterday ….”

“Ooops. I gotta get going. See you around.”

© Andy Costello, Reflections, 2009

CONVERSATION # 3

Connecting – getting it – then thinking about what I got – and I think you’re doing the same by the look of your face – then you say something and I drift into something your story triggered – and I find myself wanting to listen to both you and myself – but I can’t let go of my distraction – as well as what I think you’re thinking about – then I say something to give us some breathing space – then the thought, “Maybe I should have tried silence.” Then I say something else – and I think you’re listening to my spin off – and then I’ll start listening to you again – but maybe what I said will trigger something very different in you and now we have 6 or 8 inner conversations going on – and one outer conversation - wow it is difficult to hold a conversation – or maybe that’s how conversations go…. I don’t know – but I guess I have to ditto that – because I’ve been talking with people now for over 70 years – and some of those conversations are still going on – and they have long gone.

© Andy Costello, Reflections, 2009