DOWN THE ROAD

Quote for Today - November 7, 2013

"God made the world round so we would never be able to see too far down the road."

Isak Dinesen, recalled on her death, September 7, 1962

IT’S A BANQUET

Oh you didn’t know that….

Well, pull up a chair

and let me tell you

about my sister….

Better - first get off

your chair and start

serving tables

and then you’ll discover

the mysteries Jesus

discovered in sharing

bread and wine - washing feet

and being in communion

with one another - okay

sometimes life will break

you, but you’ll meet the

mysterious surprises

that come to all those

who make sure

everyone has their

daily bread  - and then

surprise you’ll celebrate -

because the message is:

After it's all over,
you can have your

cake and eat it. Amen.

Andy Costello, Reflections, 

Nov. 6, 2013
Photo from Sister St. Monica
Costello's 50th Anniversary as
an I. H. M. Sister.

PEGGY DIED IN NOVEMBER

Peggy died last night at 11:30 - November 5, 2013 - 75 years of age.

Is any time a good time to die? Of course - but then again, it all depends.

November - with all its leaves - falling to the ground - first bright red and yellow - then we spot some orange and some maroon -  lovely leaves - then some turning slowly to brown crumbling leaves on the ground - each one - not a bad image of a person dying - different colors - different beauty -  here - there - everywhere around our world. 

November - the month we Catholics pray for our dead - starting with November 1 - All Saints Day - and then November 2 - All Souls Day.

November - so it’s not a bad month to die - with leaves and grave stones - crumble, crumble, on the ground - from which we came. Yet tough, tough, tough at times ....

November - so when each November rolls around - we who knew Peggy - will remember with tears and smiles - Peggy - or Sister St. Monica - as her Immaculate Heart of Mary nun name was - all through her religious life.

At the wake, at the funeral, we’ll tell our stories - our memories - our take on Peggy, a. k. a. Monica - the places she served - many - the kids she taught - many - the Sisters she was stationed with - many - the schools she ran - several - the service she provided - lots noticed and much unnoticed - the love she gave - cherished.

My sister Mary, my brother Billy, and I were blessed to have such a great sister. The Immaculate Heart of Mary Sisters of Scranton, Pennsylvania, were also blessed to have such a great sister and friend.

My mom and dad - and all our loved ones who have gone before us - continue celebrating the Kingdom of God - together - with the Lord and Redeemer of us all. Thanks for everything, Peggy - and then some more -and then the eternal more and more after that. We'll be with you. Amen. 

P.S. If any young lady is interested in a great life of service - my sister Peggy needs to be replaced - contact the I.H.M. Sisters of Scranton, Pennsylvania.

MEDITATION

Quote for Today - November 6, 2013

"Sleep is the best meditation."



Dalai Lama, People Magazine, September 10, 1979

Comments:

And how often - when meditating - people fall asleep.

Notice the simplicity of the comment - the letting go - called "sleep".

Some call it a "Mini-Death!"

A TASTE OF THE KINGDOM

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily or reflection for this 31^st Tuesday in Ordinary Time is: “A Taste of the Kingdom.”

LIKE BEING IN A SUPERMARKET ….

At times - Jesus is like those folks in Giant or Safeway - Wegmans or Grauls - who stand there - usually in the back section of the supermarket - and they have a tray of tasty delights - samples - on aluminum foil. “Want to try one!”

It’s a bite of beef wrapped in bacon - with a special sauce - or a new cookie - or caramel covered popcorn or what have you. Try it! You’ll like it.

Try it and buy it.

JESUS - TRY IT

Jesus stands there inviting folks to try the Kingdom. Try loving your enemies. Try not judging - or throwing rocks. Try going the extra mile. Try turning the other cheek. Try settling differences while on the way with others - especially those we don’t like. It’s easy to forgive those we get along with.

Jesus gives us a taste of the Kingdom. Its entrance has a narrow door - and most seem to  take the broad way. 

Jesus is saying, “Take a peek. Sneak into the Kingdom. See yourself walking in discipleship with Jesus. Feel the change in your face skin - with a neat smile - an ease that surprises you - that makes you feel beautiful inwardly and outwardly.”

Taste and see.

TODAY’S FIRST READING: ROMANS 12: 5B-16B

Paul tells us in today’s first reading - “Hey, even though we’re many - we’re one.   We’re one body - even though we are so, so diverse. Don’t think division. Think unity.

Paul tells us we don’t have to have it all - do it all. We can work together and watch how that works - how that floats - how that tastes. It really does. Notice some are good at challenging - being prophetic - some are good at teaching - some are good at ministry - some are diligent -  some are very generous - some are great for bringing mercy into messy situations - some are great as cheerleaders.

Taste Paul’s list of important ingredients for the human story: hospitality, providing hope, joy and generosity. And did you notice that last one: “Have the same regard for one another; do not be haughty [i.e., the high and the mighty] but associate with the lowly”?

But notice when we hear today’s gospel - spot that Jesus knows the human tendency to make excuses. We think those 3 little words that block and stop so many new life steps:  “But what if ….?”

There is something in us that doesn’t want to taste the Kingdom of God - that doesn’t want to really be in the Kingdom. 

The block might be laziness, fear, suspecting there’s no fun - it’s all bleak - if we seek the Kingdom of God.

TODAY’S GOSPEL - LUKE 14:15-24 - EXCUSES, EXCUSES

So we make the excuses - excuses - excuses.  In today's gospel, that’s what Jesus is telling us that some people do. 

So Jesus says, okay, I’ll call others into the kingdom.

CONCLUSION

Here’s a mind twisting thought. I used to think that the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame - whom Jesus calls next - were others. Then  I realized it’s me. Jesus is calling me: poor, crippled, blind and lame brained, excuse making, me.

Get a taste of that reverse thinking of Jesus. 

We’re it. Here we are in this banquet hall called “a church”. 

See Mass as a banquet, a meal, a gathering of lots of folks - who are here to be strengthened by our daily bread - served by some folks up here in the back of the store. Then all go forth out the front door of this church - and go back into our world - working together to make the Kingdom come. Amen.

BETTER IS COMING

Quote for Today - November 5, 2013

"Always in black spirituals there's that promise that things are going to be better, by and by."

Maya Angelou, in an interview with Bill Moyers, Public Affairs Television, 1989

BRIDGES  

IN  THE  DISTANCE

There is something about bridges ….

Sometimes they shake - evoking

memories of past moments on the

other side of some place distant  -

down there on the other side

of the inside of something forgotten

or something about another that

we just - really - don’t understand.

They hint at hesitation - or maybe even

the need to stop - or to turn back to

some safer place than going ahead.

There is something about bridges….

We see them just ahead of us -

through the front windshield of our car -

but we also have an eye on what’s

behind - what’s in our rear view mirror….

There is something about bridges ….

We know they can help us to get

to a new place in a relationship -

or a situation - so we don’t make

the U-turn. We reach out to the other

with a call or with a handshake -

that ancient bridge made of flesh

and hope. We talk to ourselves:

"Maybe we can make the crossing

and arrive at each other - at their

elsewhere or their take on something -

a place we’ve never been to or

we’ve never realy understood - 
but maybe this time we can bridge 
the difference and arrive at place 
called 'Understanding! or 'Peace!'"

© Andy Costello, Reflections, 2013