TRINITY:

SERMON # 123

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this 7^th Monday after Easter is, “Trinity: Sermon #123.”

It could be just  as easy to entitle this homily, “Trinity: Sermon #321.”

Translation: This is just one more homily on The Trinity - one of many - down through the years. How many? I have no idea.

St. Patrick in talking about the Trinity - said, “It’s like a shamrock: three leaves, one shamrock.”

That’s simplicity - an image like a triangle: three corners - one triangle.

I’m willing to guess that we’ve all heard at least a dozen times the legend about St. Augustine and the little boy at the beach. Augustine was working on a document - on the Trinity for 30 years.  He’s down at the seashore walking along on the beach - at the edge of the water - thinking about how to put into words who and how the Trinity is. He spots a little kid bringing water in a seashell from the sea and then pouring the water into a hole.

Augustine asks the kid, “What are you doing?”

He answers, “Putting the whole ocean in this hole.”

Augustine says, “You’ll never finish. It’s impossible.”

Boy answers, “It would be easier for me to do this than for you to explain the Trinity.”

And Augustine closes his eyes to think about what this little kid just said. Then when he opens his eyes the little boy has disappeared.

It’s a legend - but a good one.

OUR GOD: THE TRINITY

The Christian theology of God as Trinity - is based on the arrival of Christ - coming into our lives - into our time-  and it says that God is One - but God is also  Three Persons. We call them Father - Son and Holy Spirit.

After that we really don’t know.

Will we grasp how God is God in eternity - or will it take an eternity to grasp and understand God?

Is that heaven - entering into God - becoming God?

We have to die to find out.

Is prayer - entering into God - becoming God in God?

Is that prayer  - here and hereafter?

TODAY’S READINGS

Today’s readings provoke this Sermon # 123.

The first reading  brings us to the Holy Spirit question.

Many people basically are saying what people in today’s first reading are saying, “We have never even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”

Many people make the sign of the cross: “In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit” - when they walk into church - when they attend a baptism - when they enter into prayer - yet still don’t think of God as Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Many people don’t know Jesus Christ beyond his humanness - as we hear in today’s gospel.

In fact, the gospel of John is the gospel that talks about the Trinity the most.  We hear Jesus telling us he is simply re-telling what the Father has taught him.

Many people say all religions are the same. There are lots of similarities - the Golden Rule etc. - but we are very different - those who believe in God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit and those who don’t.

CONCLUSION

We’re about to get to Pentecost and the Feast of the Holy Trinity.

Keep your mind open to ponder on these things. Start by making the sign of the Cross - slowly - slowly praying to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit - to God as Trinity.

Listen to the connection between Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Walk the beach with these images and thoughts. Let the Ocean of God fill all the empty holes within your spirit.

ASCENSCION

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily is, “Ascension.”

In the 1990’s the Catholic Church - as well as other Christian Churches moved Ascension Thursday to this 7^th Sunday after Easter. Some Catholic dioceses did just that; some dioceses didn’t.

I really don’t know the WHY of all this.  

I assume it was to make things easier. I assume that people were missing out on the feast - so some pushed to have it moved to this Sunday - so people would reflect upon the Ascension of Christ into heaven.

Somewhere along the line I found myself saying that I don’t like the word, “obligation” - as in “Sunday Obligation” - as well as, “Holy Day of Obligation”  and somewhere along the line I discovered nobody really cares what I think.

Yet when I heard my sister Mary say: “I wish the Catholic Church would change their wording to “Holy Day of Opportunity,” I said to myself, ‘I like that!’”

So I cared what someone else said in the halls of public theology.  I also cared when I’ve heard various people say, “I wouldn’t want to be at something that you had to come to by obligation or else you’re in trouble. I’d rather be at something I’d want  to be at.”

Yet those who skip celebrations or obligations or what have you - sometimes get looked down upon.

Guilt gets results - obligation works. At Mass, and family get togethers, there are people there with  an unhappy face on. They are there because they feel a have to - as opposed to a want to.

DOWN SYNDROME USHER

I once heard a wonderful - and funny - story.

In a parish in some city in the Midwest there was this neat young man with Down Syndrome.  Every Sunday he went with his parents to Sunday Mass - and in time his dream was to be an usher.

Finally, he got his wish. The rest of the ushers said, “Why not? It’s tough getting ushers at times - especially during the summer.”

So this young man was made an usher and he loved it - and everyone in the parish got to love him.

Surprise! The collection went up - and it was noticeable.

He would push the basket into the benches he served….  This was before “Faith Direct.” If someone didn’t put some money into his basket -  he would hold it - there - right in front of a person - and gesture with the basket, “How about some green?” He would also say at times, “Uh, Uh, Uh” with the basket at the person. It was usually a visitor or a “once and a whiler” this happened to. The regulars loved it - and would joke about it outside of church after Mass. And they too added to the collection.

Shame, shake downs, guilt, works. 

Obviously wanting to be generous - to support the church - to help others - or what have you is a much better attitude and motive and outlook.

I was at some banquet or fund raiser once and people  were going around selling 50-50’s - those tickets with the numbers on them. One ticket stays with the seller for a later on drawing. The other ticket with the same number on it goes into the buyer’s pocket. Felling guilty or I better make a contribution to the cause,  I said, “Give me ten.” The seller said, “They are 100 dollars apiece, Father.” “Ooops,” I said, “Give me one.” I thought they were a dollar each.

Obligation works…. In public view works….

THE HUMAN ASCENT

In his book, The Ascent of Man, Jacob Bronowski in talking about evolution, said, “Among the multitude of animals which scamper, fly, burrow, and swim around us, man is the only one who is not locked into his environment.”  Bronowski continues, “His imagination, his reason, his emotional subtlety and toughness make it possible for  him not to accept the environment but to change it. And that series of inventions by which man from age to age has remade his environment is a different kind of evolution - not biological, but cultural evolution. I call that brilliant sequence of cultural peaks The Ascent of Man.”

THE DECENSION AND ASCENSION OF CHRIST

There is a key Christian Life text in Paul’s Letter to the Philippians.

As you know some of Paul’s letters were with us before the gospels.

Philippians is one of them - dated back to the 50’s.

Philippians 2: 5b-11 gives us an early Christian hymn  - which means it’s even earlier - which says Christ was God - and he emptied himself of his being God and became one of us - and he descended even lower and became a slave for us - and then even lower - he was killed  - on a cross - for us - because of us - us at our lowest - and because of this obedience - this choice by Christ to lift us from our lowest - God exalted him - raised him up - Ascension - so that everyone will see him as our savior - redeemer - our God. That’s the kind of God we have.

And that’s not the way we people are at times. At times we step on others. We stand on others. We put others down - so we can look higher - bigger - better than the other guy or gal.

Just look around! We brag. We boast. We want to look bigger and better than others: with house, with car, with cash, with Botox, with clothes, with kids with better marks, smarts, looks than your kids.

Life is according to Paul and Christ - is lowering ourselves so others can rise.

I find myself hearing another tell a story - and I got to top them - ascend higher than them.

Decension, listening to others, letting them shine in a conversation is what Christ is about. Hey he didn’t start till he was almost 30 and his mother dragged him into his start - at a wedding in Cana of Galilee.

Isn’t that what Jesus kept saying, “Lessen that ego - empty that self - wash feet - put out the garbage - empty the dishwasher - empty yourself of self-importance -  help your neighbor - hold doors - deflate yourself - let your hot air out - and you’ll sail through the air better like a Tom Brady football - and you’ll win the Super Bowl of Life.

CONCLUSION

So why come to church? Why pray?

Answer: Become quiet and to learn this evolution.

Or as Octavio Paz - the Mexican poet -  put it, “Solitude lies at the lowest depth of the human condition.  Man is the only being who feels himself to be alone and the only one who is searching for the Other.”

And Paz capitalizes that word “Other.”  

The Other is God - and life is all about our ascension - our ascent to God the Father - as Christ showed us with his life.

May 17, 2015

ASCENSION

Are there steps out of me? I don't know.

Was there an open window? I don't know. 

Jesus did you simply slip out of me -
going through the walls of my upper room 
ascending into the darkest night?  
Jesus, it seems you've disappeared. 
That image hits me the hardest. 
Did I bore you? Did I disappoint you? Jesus you were there in me in the darkest corner of my inner darkness? I remember our dark nights - when we met each other in that divine darkness  - and I discovered that you Jesus were the Light of the world. Jesus, if you've 
ascended into heaven - allow me to ascend to you right now in this dark night or prepare me to be ready for you to introduce me to your Holy Spirit. Amen! Come Holy Spirit. Come!

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2015

May 16, 2015

ALL IN  THE  FAMILY

All families have givers and all

families have those who are takers.

All families have someone

who won’t talk to someone.

All families have closets and bottom

drawers, containing family secrets.

All families have someone who is the

favorite and someone who is the least favorite.

All families have moments that pull us

together and moments that pull us apart.

All families pray - some openly - and some

only when problems knock on the front door.

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2015 

May 15, 2015

SOMETIMES I WONDER ….

Sometimes I wonder

if this marriage will last ….

Sometimes I wonder

if this yo yo will come back up….

Sometimes I wonder

if I’ll wake up in the morning.

Sometimes I wonder

if there is life after this….

Sometimes I wonder

if anyone is listening….

Sometimes I wonder

if we’ll run out of water….

Sometimes I wonder

if the big shots really know ....

Sometimes I wonder

if I'm supposed to yell, "Wait a minute!"

Sometimes I wonder,
"Where is everybody?"

Sometimes I wonder

if God notices and cares ….

Sometimes I wonder

if I am supposed to be doing this….

Sometimes I wonder

if there is a supposed to ….

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2015

May 14, 2015

TALKING TO ONESELF

Everyone needs to talk to oneself,

          to walk with oneself,

          when walking the dog,

          when driving the car,

          along the city streets,

          walking the quiet beach,

          or in June and November woods.

Everyone needs to meet with oneself,

          to make plans,

          decisions,

          all by oneself,

          when all are talking,

          at the card party,

          or the coffee break

          or outside the church.

We all need to slip in the side door

          of ourselves,

          or our church,

          and sit in

          the afternoon darkness,

          and hear the Light,

          feel the Light

          that surrounds us.

And even then we all need moments

          to get away

          even from God,

          to hide in the cellar

          and the caves

          of our hearts,

          our secret spots

          of wilderness

          and quiet.

We all need those times

          to cry,

          to die,

          to tie things together.

Yes, we all need time to talk to ourselves,

          to rent a boat,

          to leave the beach,

          to row out beyond this world,

          to find some quiet time,

          to stop the stirring

          of the coffee cup

          and just let it sit still,

          and let the waves,

          and the then the ripple,

          and then the Calm

          surround us.

May 13, 2015

PHOTO ALBUM

Everyone of us can find ourselves

          on the pages

          of the New Testament.

It is our photo album,

          our biography,

          the story of our lives.

I am the blind man

          wanting to see,

          needing to cry out,

          “Son of David, have pity on me.”

I am the Prodigal Son

          far away from the Father,

          longing for the pleasures of distant lands,

          yet longing for the comforts of home.

I am the Pharisee, the phony,

          seeing specks in my brother or sister’s eye,

          and blind to the planks in my own.

Oh yes, at times I’m the Good Samaritan,

          helping my brothers and sisters

          lying by the side of the road.

          But so many times I find myself

          as Pontius Pilate washing my hands

          of all responsibility.

I am the lost sheep,

          the lost coin,

          forgetting I’ve been branded,

          been stamped with the sign of the cross.

I must learn to read

          the letters of Paul and John

          as if they were addressed to me,

          put in my mailbox,

          so that I’ll begin to bear

          the other’s burdens,

          and discover that God is Love.

         

I must discover that the Messiah, the Christ,

          has entered my village,

          and today wants to eat at my house.