STANDING  ON  
THE EDGE OF THE SURE

Quote for Today  - March 26, 2011


"To stand at the edge of the sea, to sense the ebb and the flow of the tides, to feel the breath of a mist moving over a great salt marsh, to watch the flight of shore birds that have swept up and down the surf lines of the continents for untold thousands of years, to see the running of the old eels and the young shad to the sea, is to have knowledge of things that are as nearly eternal as any earthly life can be."






Rachel Carson, Foreward, Under the Sea-Wind, 1941

ANNUNCIATION:

A PAINTING

WITH SIMPLE WORDS

I didn’t ask for this. I never even asked God for signs.

I trusted God. God has always been good to me – giving me the gifts of life, health, family, faith, village, and a good man that loved me: Joseph.

I heard the stories in the sacred scriptures – spoken to us in the synagogue – at Sabbath services. The Messiah was to come – but unlike the sun rising every morning and falling asleep every night – the Messiah was to come at a time when we would least expect him.

So I couldn’t believe it, when a messenger from the Lord, an angel, voiced his way into me – with the greeting, “Hail Mary full of grace – the Lord is with you!”
Compliments like that come from time to time in the marketplace – when the seller wanted to sell me bread or wine or lamb or what have you. And I knew enough to always ask, “What’s the price? How many pieces of silver will this cost me?”

So I asked the angel, this messenger, “What do you want? What are you asking me to do?”

My voice, my face, my being, my hands, must have been shaking because the messenger said, “Do not be afraid!”
Then came the reason why this angel came to me. “Mary, you have found favor with God.”
“Uh oh!” I thought. “What’s coming next?”

Then the next . These were the words:
“Behold, you will conceive in your womb
and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus.

He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High,

and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father,

and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever,

and of his Kingdom there will be no end.”
Now that was a big next and I didn’t faint! And the two of us became very silent.

Then came my enormous question – the obvious: “How can this be – since I have no relations with a man?”

What would you do? What would you say?

Well, then the angel said, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. The child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God.”
God is a God of twists and turns – so then came another next, another surprise. The angel announced, “And behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren; for nothing will be impossible for God.”
What does one do next? It sounded like God was about to do something new – and I didn’t know – how all this would happen, so then I said my “Yes!” And I added, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.”

Then the angel left. Silence. Quiet. Feelings. Questions. Wonderings.

I thought of beginnings. This was to be a new Genesis. I felt like Adam being formed out of the clay of the earth again – with the rush of God’s Spirit coming upon both of us and all of us. I felt like Eve being formed from Adam’s rib. I felt new life rushing into me. Then I said to myself, “Annunciations are dramatic. I also sense that they are easy – compared to what I think is next – swords and suffering – surprise and a new sunrise over Israel – and how is Joseph going to deal with all this?

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Painting on top by Nina Maria Kleivan. It can be found in the Bavnehoj Church in Kobenhavn, Denmark. The date listed is 1994.

I also have a few other reflections on the annunciation on my blog - on my meditations of the mysteries of the rosary and also a reflection back on March 25, 2009.

ANNUNCIATION

Quote for The Feast of the Annunciation - March 25,  2011



"One would have sworn that he was saying, 'Ave';
for in that scene there was the effigy
of one who turned the key that had unlocked
the highest love; and in her stance there were
impressed these words, 'Ecce ancilla Dei,'
precisely like a figure stamped in wax.
'Your mind must not attend to just one part,'
the gentle master said - he had me onthe side of him where people have their heart.
At this, I turned my face and saw beyond
the form of Mary - on the side where stood
the one who guided me - another story
engraved upon the rock; therefore I moved
past Virgil and drew close to it, so that
the scene before my eyes was more distinct."


from Canto X in Dante's Purgatorio, translation by Allen Mandelbaum 1982



Painting, Annunciation [1898] by Henry Ossawa Tanner -[1859-1898]

QUIET DRIVE

I need quiet to hear what I’m not hearing.
I need quiet to hear the voices of those people
around me whom I’m neglecting.
I need to ask others, “How’s it going?”
And then to hear, to listen, and then ask them
further questions and wonderings about
their further wonderings and wanderings.
I need quiet to hear my own inner voices –
especially those voices I avoid and put on hold.
God you know this. You know this better
than all of us – because You’re The Quiet One.
You know that by being quiet we understand
why You’re so quiet. I guess, we’re like two friends,

lovers, buddies, driving together on a long ride –
sometimes down dark highways – and we both realize
words and radio are not necessary. We speak
from time to time about those things that are on our mind
or all those interesting things – like lights at night coming at
our front windshield – and what’s on the other side
of dark tunnels. By the way: “Do you ever want to drive?”

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2011

CATCHING THE BALL,
PARABLES: LAZARUS

INTRODUCTIONThe title of my homily for this 2nd Thursday in Lent is, "Catching the Ball, Parables: Lazarus."

I always like to point out that the word “parable” has within it the word “ball”. When Jesus or anyone throws us a parable or a story, they are throwing the ball into our court. Do we catch it? Do we see it coming? Do we even want to play the game?

Today’s two readings are tossed to us. Did anyone catch the first reading? Did anyone hear it? Was anyone listening? Did anyone catch the Gospel? Did you hear it? If you caught the gospel, do you want to run with it? Your move?

FIRST READINGToday’s first reading presents two choices. It has the power of bullet or a sword. It has a simple message: do you want to be a barren bush in the desert or do you want to be a tree planted near running water? Choose life.

The barren bush just stands there in a lava waste. It’s barren. It enjoys no change of season. It just stands there in a salty and empty earth. Choose life.

Whereas the tree planted near running water has variety. It stretches out its roots to the stream. It doesn’t fear the heat. It’s leaves stay green. In the year of drought it shows no distress. It still bears fruit. Choose life.

The choice is tossed to us: do we want to be blessed or cursed? Do we want to be a barren bush in the desert or a tree planted near running water? Choose life.

The person who trusts in the Lord, whose hope is the Lord is the tree near running water. The person who trusts in human beings, who seeks his strength in flesh, whose heart turns away from the Lord is the one who becomes a barren bush.

So there they are: two choices. The ball is tossed to us. Choose one. Choose life. Our move.

GOSPEL PARABLEIn his book on The Parables of Jesus, Joachim Jeremias says that today’s parable should not be called, “The Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus,” but “The Parable of the Six Brothers.” (Cf. page 186.)

Joachim Jeremias claims that we all know this story of the rich man and Lazarus very well, but what we forget is what Jeremias thinks is the main part of the story. The rich man wants Lazarus to be sent by God the Father to his father’s house where he has five other brothers. “Let him be a warning to them so that they may not end in this place of torment.”

Joachim Jeremias also points out that it is helpful for us to know the background of the story. The audience in Jesus’ time knew it.

He writes, “In order to understand the parable in detail and as a whole, it is essential to recognize that the first part derives from the well-known folk-material concerned with the reversal of fortune in the after life. This is the Egyptian folk-tale of the journey of Si-Osiris, the son of Setme Chamois to the under-world, which concludes with the words: `He who has been good on earth, will be blessed in the kingdom of the dead, and he who has been evil on earth, will suffer in the kingdom of the dead.’ Alexandrian Jews brought this story to Palestine, where it became very popular as the story of the poor scholar and the rich publican Bar Ma`jan. That Jesus was familiar with this story is proved by the fact that he used it in the parable of the Great Supper. There we have already related the beginning of the story: how the scholar’s funeral was unattended, while the publican was buried with great pomp. Here is the end of the story. One of the poor scholar’s colleagues was allowed to see in a dream the fate of the two men in the next world: `A few days later that scholar saw his colleague in gardens of paradisal beauty, watered by flowing streams. He also saw Bar Ma’jan the publican standing on the bank of a stream and trying to reach the water, but unable to do so.’ V.19: The rich man, who had no need to work, feasted every day, arrayed in a costly mantle of purple wool, with underwear of fine Egyptian linen. The lack of emphasis on his guilt, although, as his fate shows, he is represented as an impious reveler, is explained by the fact that Jesus was drawing on material which was well known to his hearers. V.20: Lazarus is the only figure in the parables who is given a name; the name (God helps) has a special significance. Lazarus is a cripple..., suffering from a skin-disease (v. 21b). As a beggar he has to pitch his tent in the street, at the gate of the rich man’s mansion where he begs for a gift from the passers-by." (page 183.)

That’s the first part of the parable. Most people hear that, but they don’t hear the second part of the parable, which is the real message. It’s the real ball that is tossed to us. (For the rest of the story confer Joachim Jeremias famous book on The Parables of Jesus, pages 184-187.)

It’s the story of the 5 brothers. It’s the story of those who haven’t heard Moses, who haven’t heard the prophets, and to be really sarcastic, haven’t heard the story of Jesus who rose from the dead.

CONCLUSION
The ball is tossed to us. We are the 5 other brothers. Jesus is the one who rose from the dead to tell us that Lazarus is on many of our streets. He is in our homes. He is here. Do we see him? Choose him.

These two readings are Lenten readings to ponder - and to take to heart.

Jeremiah tells us at the end of today’s first reading,

“More tortuous than all else is the human heart,
beyond remedy; who can understand it?
I, the Lord, alone probe the mind
and test the heart,
To reward everyone according to his ways,
according to the merit of his deeds.”

NOTES:

Painting on top by Ian Pollock, 2000: Parable 26 - Rich Man and Lazarus, Luke 16: 19-31 in the Eich Gallery. Notice the Big Man and the crumbled up Little Man - as well as the dog between the Big Man and the Little Man. I chose this watercolor, ink and gouache painting as a fish hook on the top of this blog piece - to hook you - to get you to say, "What is this?" If you got this far - I assume it worked. Motive - the same as Jesus' hope to hook, to fish hook, his listeners with the story he told about the Rich Man and the Poor Man.

Check also Noticing Lazarus At Our Door, Reflections of a Priest with Forty Years in Hispanic Ministry, by John Lavin, C.Ss.R. 2007

JOHN 10: 10b

Quote for Today  March 24, 2011


"You're just walkin' around to save funeral expenses."

Movie line by Valerie Perrine as Charlotta in The Electric Horseman, 1979

IT’S THE PITS!

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this 2nd Wednesday of Lent is, “It’s The Pits.”

In today’s first reading from Jeremiah 18: 18-20. I noticed the word, “pit,” so I began wondering if the phrase, “It’s the pits” – comes from here.

I don’t know. I doubt it. I also couldn’t find out too much about the phrase, “It’s the pits!”

The Dictionary of Clichés says it’s a modern term in the United States going back to the 1970’s. That didn’t sound right – but that’s what it said. I seem to remember hearing people say, “It’s the pits!” ever since I was a kid and that takes me back to the 1940’s.

Next, I couldn’t find out whether the phrase was referring to the pits in fruit or olives that you don’t want to bite into or whether it was referring to a hole in the ground – that you don’t want to fall into.

Either way it can be bad news. It’s the pits.

JEREMIAH

In today’s first reading from Jeremiah 18 he seems to be predicting what’s going to happen 20 chapters later, in Chapter 38. There he’s thrown into a pit or cistern for speaking up against those in power. He tells them that the city of Jerusalem is going to fall to the Babylonians.

The pit is a well without water – only mud – and Jeremiah is lowered down into the mud by ropes. Lucky for Jeremiah – a man named Ebed-melek the Cushite – who is part of the palace staff – goes to the king and pleads for Jeremiah – telling the king it you don’t free Jeremiah, he’s going to die. The king says, “Okay, take 3 men with you from here and go and pull the prophet Jeremiah out of the well before he dies.”

Jeremiah is rescued. It’s a very interesting scene and story.

QUESTION

How about a practical idea for today in this homily on, “It’s The Pits!”?

Okay. How about this Lenten question for just today? “Wherever I am today – whether it’s at work or at home or traffic or wherever – can I make that place the opposite of, “It’s the pits.”

I was wondering: What is the opposite of “It’s the pits?” Is it: “It’s paradise!” or, “It’s heaven!” If the pits are the bottom – the opposite would be the top. So the contrast would be the pits versus the peaks. Heaven or Hell. Good vs. Evil.

THE PITS

The pits would be a home or work place where there is a lot of complaining or whining or negative button pushing.

The pits would be a place where people are all trying to top the other person – trying to be #1 – like the mother of James and John – in today’s gospel trying to get her sons to be on the right and left of Jesus when he comes into his kingdom. This is the stuff that causes dissension in the ranks or in a home.

Jesus says that the secret in life is not to be served – but to serve. Jesus says that the secret of life is to follow him – to drink the cup he offers – and that means – putting others ahead of ourselves – making life sweeter for others – and this calls for dying to self.

CONCLUSION

I think that’s enough. I’m suggesting that this morning to make an examination of consciousness – to ask the simple question: “Today when I walk into the rooms I am going to walk into, will I make them the peaks of joy and peace and love and not the pits.”

And how do I do that? Answer: put others first – to be like Ebed-melek the Cushite – to be aware of those who are stuck or in the pits and to work to help pull them out of their depths – to make others # 1. Amen.