HAPPINESS? 

IT’S YOU, NOT ME!

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily is, “Happiness? It’s You, Not Me!”

THE SECRET OF HAPPINESS

One of life’s ongoing questions is, “What’s the secret of happiness?”

It’s asked in various ways, “What’s the meaning of life?” or  “What have you learned so far?” or "What are you looking for?" or “What’s it all about Alfie?”

In Latin we were given a sentence from St. Thomas Aquinas - coming from his use of Aristotle. It is said to be a life sentence: “Omne agens agit propter finem.  Finem est bonum.” [1]

Translation: everything we do, we do for a purpose - and end in view - and basically every time that end is for a good.

Even when we do something bad, we think there is a good in it. It’s called an apparent good [bonum apparens].

Ooops. I don’t want to gum up my homily with some Latin stuff - that might sound complicated.

So in this homily I’m simply saying that the secret of life is to do everything for others and we will be happy.

Once more the title of my homily is, “Happiness? It’s You, Not Me!”

TODAY’S READINGS

That’s the message of today’s readings.

The first reading from Second Corinthians 9: 6-10 says God loves a cheerful giver.

It also says that the person who sows sparingty, won’t get that many tomatoes, potatoes, strawberries, watermelons or flowers.

The first reading also uses the word “abundant”. That triggers the thought that if we look around this world we’ll see how much abundance God has given.

Say to God, “What’s with all these stars?”  And I’d add, “Why isn’t there life on them all?” 

And God would probably say, “Turkey get on a glass bottom boat and take a look at all the fish in all the oceans of our world? Get a microscope and look at the life that surrounds you.”

I heard something like this on public radio a week ago. “One hair on your head can produce a million stem cells in about 2 weeks.”

“What?” I said, “Let me hear that again?” 

Well the radio doesn’t work like that, so I’ll keep looking for what that was about.  From another angle, it doesn’t matter, because nature offers many examples of incredible numbers once one starts looking into creation.

Today’s gospel repeats this same message about the more or less in giving and not giving.  The wheat seed sitting in a bag in a wharehouse is just a wheat seeds on a shelf. Plant those seeds. Close your eyes. Come back in a while and take a good  look at a field filled with wheat.

Jesus is saying, “If you try to hold onto your life and you don’t give, you’re going to end up hating your life.”

Give and you will live. Serve tables, wash feet, hold doors, listen instead of doing all the talking, give, give and give, and you’ll see happy faces including your own.

CONCLUSION

Today is the feast of St. Lawrence, the deacon who gave, gave, gave, served served, served - and was killed with that attitude in mind.

The legend is that he said when they were burning him to death, “Turn me over I’m done on this side.”

NOTES:

[1] St. Thomas Aquinas, Ethics of St. Thomas Auinas,  St. Ia IIas, Q. 25, A, 2,  "Omne agens agit propter finem aliquem, ut supra dictum est. Finis autem est bonum desideratum et amatum uncuique."

August 10, 2015

HARD DRIZZLE

As he shook off his umbrella and then closed the door - which took his shoulder and an effort to close, I asked him,

“What’s the weather like out there?”

“It’s a hard drizzle.”

I had never heard a weather report

like that one before. Interesting!

I stayed with that comment all day.

The two meetings I was at weren’t

that interesting anyway.

“What’s your life been like?”

Would anyone say, “It’s a hard drizzle”
or would someone say, "Blue sky sunshine"?

© Andy Costello, Reflections, 2015
Painting, "White Umbrella" by
Andre Kohn

August 9, 2015

CAN DO

How many times have we stood there

and asked someone, “Hey what can

I do to help around here?” Of course

we say that in some kind of group

setting - like before or after a meeting

when people are setting up tables or

chairs - or what have you. Well, the

secret of happiness is to make a list

of things we can do everyday like:

Listen to someone - like saying, “Wait a

minute, repeat what you just said. I find

that very interesting” and you mean it.

Thank someone - like saying, “I really

appreciate all you do around here -

especially the little things that I can’t do.

For example,...”

Ask people great questions like, “Dad

how do you want to be remembered?”

Or, “What was a movie that really moved

you?” Or a book you couldn’t put down?

Or a song you found yourself singing

when alone?” Or, “Who encouraged you?”

And then do what we can do!

© Andy Costello, Reflections, 2015

August 8, 2015

STEPS

Getting ready - those kicks while

in the womb - stretching those legs -

wanting out of there - out - up and away -

making our way in life - first crawling -

catching our breath - oooh the pain - oooh

the hurt of trying to stand tall - but falling -

till finally we accept reality - we’re human -

- we need help - then we want to get to

school - middle school - high school -

college graduate  - get a job - get married -

have kids - wanting to be there when they

take their first step - to see them grow,

as we go through the steps of life - retire -

enjoy - then at some point  being unable

to let go of the car keys - that’s a tough step -

then to take those last steps into a nursing

home  - with a cane - with a nurse’s aide -

not wanting a wheel chair - not wanting to die -

then the decision to make the ultimate step -

the big act faith - to crawl - it would be nice if

it was a leap  - but no - to crawl to the Father’s

feet - with the hope of rising to the Eternal Dance. Amen.

© Andy Costello, Reflections, 2015

A  LOADED  QUESTION: 

DID  YOU  EVER  HEAR 

THE  VOICE  OF  GOD? 

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this 18^th Friday in Ordinary Time is, “Did You Ever Hear the Voice of God?”

LAST NIGHT - REPUBLICAN DEBATE

Last night on the second and main Republican “Debate”,  Megan Kelly read a question from someone who sent a face book question that went something like this: “Does anyone of you ever hear the voice of God?”

That was the text question someone sent in. I heard it and wondered about the context.  Question is: we don’t know why and what the questioner had in mind.  Was he trying to trap, trick or whatever each candidate?

It hit me: “This is a loaded question!”

I immediately thought of the old saying. “If we talk to God, it’s called prayer. If we hear God talking to us, it’s called mental sickness.”

Translation: sometimes people with mental problems hear God telling them to do things - like shoot people or kill themselves.

Don’t we hear that in some of the horror stories of suicide bombings or terrorism around our world?

TODAY’S FIRST READING

I watched the 2 hour debates last night - and that was one of the main things that stood out.

So I listened carefully to how the candidates answered that question.

Ted Cruz or someone said he reads the Bible every morning - and that gives him  the word of God for that day.

Nobody fell into the possible trap - of saying “Yes I hear God speaking to me every day.” That would appear in columns and if you’re against someone that’s a hand grenade of a statement.

If I remember correctly, others said they pray. Others said the general statement that God is calling all people to goodness and love, etc.

Then I read today’s readings before going to bed and there were the statements about hearing God speaking.

For example: “Did a people ever hear the voice of God speaking from the midst of fire, as you did, and live?”

For example: “Out of the heavens he let you hear his voice to discipline you; on earth he let you see his great fire, and you heard him speaking out of the fire.”

This last statement touches on some people’s response to thunder and lightning, hurricane and tornado - earth quakes, volcanoes, forest fires - as God’s way of showing his anger. Didn’t someone say that Hurricane Katrina was God saying, “I don’t like what is happening in New Orleans.”

If one takes that approach, then we might say that some place like Dushore, Pennsylvania or Leipsic, Ohio has everything going right because nothing bad has happened there lately.

In today’s first reading we also have the message that God speaks to us in the experiences of our lives.

Many people bring to prayer their life experiences - especially the experience of looking back. Based on all that has happened to me, I see how blessed I am. Thank you God.   But sometimes this takes time to see a whole pattern in one’s life.

But then, does that mean God zaps people in unhappy marriages or disastrous experiences with their kids or what have you?

Todays’ first reading then moves us into God’s commandments as ways of knowing what God wants.

SCULPTOR OR PAINTER   

At times I like to imagine how I would sculpt or paint God when it comes to different scenes of life with God.

At times I’ve thought: if I were to sculpt God, I would leave out his mouth or picture him with finger to lip - saying, “Silence!”

PRAYER

We know our side of communication with God.

For many prayer is saying prayers.

For many prayer is talking to God.

For many prayer is listening to God - but the trouble with this - once more - is that God is so often silent.

Thomas Green, the Jesuit spiritual writer, said, “Say to God, you got 5 minutes. I’m going to sit here for 5 minutes and wait for you to tell me what’s what with us.”

Sometimes that works. We “hear” God say, “I am with you.”  Or “I love you.” Or “You have my support and care.”

But often it’s silent and folks often say, “Boring.”

Then turn to the scriptures - read - and talk to God - about what you’re reading.

CONCLUSION

Or say a closing prayer and say, “I got work to do.”

Or say to God, “This is a loaded question: What are you saying to me?”

August 7, 2015

FLAMINGOS

When they are all metal - pink painted -
standing on a front lawn - forget it,
they get neither my gasp nor my awe.  

But when they are flesh and blood,
pink winged - dancing through splashing 
wet waves - rising above the surf - then ….

Then I’m seeing God’s grandeur and
finger snapping creativity and laugh
and surprise and scream, “Look! Look!”

© Andy Costello, Reflections, 2015

August 6, 2015

TRANSFIGURATION

Mirrors mirrored back to her

the ugly word, “Ugly!” - when

everyone thought her so beautiful.

Well, that's how she pictured herself.

But all changed - when she started

her career as a teacher. She was

transfigured before all. She lit up

the dinner table when she told

stories about so many adventures

in the classroom. Her 4 younger

sisters were picturing their future

in high definition imagination. Her

mom and dad seeing her eyes,

her face, her flashes of passion -

they knew it was all worth it -

all the extra work - at times two jobs

to come up with money to pay 
for their kids education in a good 
Catholic school - and she was 
transfigured in light and slowly saw 
her beauty, her calling and her life.  

© Andy Costello, Reflections, 2015

Feast of the Transfiguration.