April 10, 2016

STORY

Snubbed, stung, swindled,

squeezed, squished, squashed,

spurned, scoffed, scarred,

seduced, shamed, slain,

scuttled, sank, sunk,

saved, salvaged, SMILE.

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2016

April 9, 2016

GAME

Poker,  rummy, Monopoly, Risk….

Throw the dice.  Pick up your cards.

Play the game.  Much will be out

of your control. Luck.... Sometimes

luck is front and center. Your move.

Now chess, checkers, dominos, Boggle- 
those games.... They seem to be based 
a bit more on our skills, our mind, our 
practice, our tricks - how we play the game. 

So too relationships…. Sometimes the other

is not playing with a full deck as they say - 

but some people - some people - this may 
boggle our minds - are way too sharp for us in how they make their moves - in how they play this game called, “Life!” That's the risk 
we take.  Without knowing it - sometimes
we're really playing Trivial Pursuit - "Uh oh!" And sometimes the real game that is actually
going on is Monopoly. Your move.

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2016

April 8, 2016

CONSEQUENCES

“Consequences!"
That’s the tattoo to put

on everyone’s arm!

“Consequences!”

That’s the comment

that should be announced

at the beginning of every meeting.

“Consequences!”

I.B.M. used to say the word was

“Think!” I prefer, “Consequences.”

“Consequences!”

Pause! Say it! Become quiet.

Remember the domino effect.
Then ask, "Now what consequences 
can we possibly picture happening?"

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2016

April 7, 2016

APPRECIATION

Appreciation - to be appreciated -

to be noticed for what we do - the

little things especially. Is this the

main motive?  Are we hoping to 
hear a “Thank you!” now and then - 
or better, “Let me do this. You’re 
already doing enough around here.”

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2016

April 6, 2016

MOTIVE?

Money, fun, sex, the game,

anger, pride, pay back, shame....

Are we all cops trying to figure out

the other’s motive? Or are some

people clueless and do what they

do without knowing what they do

and come to think about, we do too?

1.  © Andy Costello, Reflections 2016

JOHN 3: 8

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this Tuesday in the Second Week of Easter is, “John 3: 8.”

We often see signs - bumper stickers - and magic marker signs held up in the air at football games -  that say, “John 3: 16.” That’s the beginning of tomorrow’s Gospel reading.  We know that text: “God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not be lost - but may have eternal life.”

The title of this brief reflection for today is, “John 3: 8.”

It has to do with Nicodemus  as well. It’s this 3^rd Chapter of John and the section where we heard Jesus say, “The wind blows  wherever it pleases; you hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. This is how it is with all who are born in the Spirit.”

Last night that got me thinking about the wind - and it was windy these past few days. Isn’t it March winds and April showers?

ONE OF LIFE’S GREAT LESSONS IS GOD IS A GOD OF SURPRISES

One of life’s great lessons is that God is a God of surprises - a God of amazement - a God who keeps us in existence for all our life.

John 3:8 talks about the wind.

I wasn’t too good in the sciences - but I do know the value of air, breathing, oxygen.

We wouldn’t be on this planet without air - oxygen. It’s  in our plants. It’s even in our rocks - somehow. In fact that’s one of  the plans if we settle down more on the Moon or get to Mars. They can get oxygen out of rocks and soil.

Oxygen in varying amounts is around.  It’s in our water. It’s in our blood.

In other words, it needs to be around if we are to live - breathe - and be.

SECOND BIRTHS

Conversion, change, is all about a second birth.

I always like the comment in The Natural - the baseball movie. Iris Gaines, played by Glenn Close, says to Roy Hobbs, played by Robert Redford, “We have two lives... the life we learn with and the life we live after that. Suffering is what brings us towards happiness.”

Some say the big life change is around 33. It’s earlier for women than men. Augustine was around 33.

At our first birth they get us breathing.  The foetus has practiced that - but she or he gets their oxygen from their mom through the cord.

Spiritual writers talk about this invisible thing called wind, air, breath, the spirit as the reality we got to get moving - in a new way.  It’s called ki, prana, ruach, atman, and when we take a new breath - a breath of fresh air, we can start again.

My sister in law named her boat Second Wind. It had another name, but she changed it  when she remarried after my brother had died.

Life is lots of new beginnings…. fresh starts …. second winds ….  small ones - but some significant big new ones.

Jesus comes to give us that new breath, new birth, new life.

Open up the windows and let in the fresh air.

Francis is calling us to open doors and let in new life - especially mercy where mistakes get us hiding in stale air in locked upper rooms.

CONCLUSION

The title of my homily is, "John3:8."

It's the text where Jesus talks about the wind. 

It's invisible. 

Breathe it in.  Breathe out the bad. Breathe in the new. 

Today - let today be a fresh start, a new birth, with a new wind at our back. 

Like Nicodemus it takes a while to get all this - but hopefully like Nicodemus we get it.

April 5, 2016

HAPPINESS

It can be described but not defined. Yet

we can try to put happiness into words -

but it’s better to sit back on a back porch -

on an early April morning and just watch,

just listen: God’s orchestra is playing.

OK history can appear in the air - in inner

sounds and sights as well. Our story is

like everyone’s history: war and peace,

moving carts into bloody fields to pick

up the casualties and to bury the dead.

Happiness calls for forgiveness, table

talk, listening, listening, and laughing.

Or take a nice nature walk. Just  let

the good memories and good moments

take over. We know them. We know

when all is well - and not so well. 

Happiness has to do with work: education,
training, a good job, making a living, skills,
talents, out of work, looking for a job, 
favoritism, retirement, a second job.

Happiness has to do with control: in control,
out of control, can't control, feelings when
I think I'm being controlled or just ignored.

Happiness always has to do with people -
with that one person we have problems
with. It's always one - okay two at times -
and with people whom we know we can’t 

live without - and we tell them that - 

with food - yes food is necessary. A good

meal - good bread - good wine - a solid

table - strong chairs - time - communion. 

Add ice cream.... Come to think about it,

happiness is an aftertaste - so add a piece

of peach pie - if apple pie is not around.

© Andy Costello, Reflections, 2016