May 3, 2016

BACKPACKS 

AND  SUITCASES 

At some point, everyone realizes

that the other walks up to us to talk

to us with a backpack or a suitcase

filled with expectations, assumptions,

stories and hopes for x y or z to happen.

At some point everyone realizes

that’s why it’s difficult to really hear

what the other is saying, wanting,

desiring or hoping for. Nope: they

have too much baggage with them.

At some point everyone realizes
I  do too. Like those folks who

check the bags at airports, we

have to see what’s inside. Then it’s

easier to talk to each other on the flight.

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2016

INTRODUCING  PHILIP, 

INTRODUCING  JESUS, 

INTRODUCING  GOD  THE  FATHER

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily is, “Introducing Philip, Introducing Jesus, Introducing Got the Father.”

Today is the feast of Saints Philip and James.

I just want to say a few words about Philip - leaving James for another day.

The thought that hits me for a homily this morning about Philip is the human interaction called, “Introducing someone to someone.”

We do that at times.

I do a lot of weddings. One of the things I often hear is how a couple met and often it’s because someone introduced someone to someone.

Have you ever introduced someone to someone and they got married?  

At get togethers we often get the opportunity to introduce someone to someone else. “Hi! Janet, let me introduce you to my mother-in-law, Jane.”

PHILIP THE INTRODUCER

There’s not much in the New Testament about Philip, but what we have can introduce us to a few neat things to ponder.

Philip, being an apostle, is mentioned in all 4 gospels  - but very, very  little in Matthew, Mark and Luke. John has a bit more. John introduces us to several information items about Philip. The Acts of the Apostles has a lot more - but today’s gospel is from John.

Philip introduces Nathaniel to Jesus in John 1: 43 ff. Philip introduces the little kid with the bread to help with the great Eucharistic text in John 6. When some Greeks want to meet Jesus, Nicodemus introduces them to Jesus.  [John 12:21]. And in today’s gospel from John, it’s there that Jesus introduces Philip to God the Father - and upon reflecting upon these Last Supper words of Jesus that we get an earful from Jesus about who the Father is.

ENTERING THE TRINITY

Philip asks Jesus, “Master, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us.”

When I read that I’m hearing Philip saying to Jesus: “Introduce us to your Father - whom you’re always talking about.”

Jesus responds with the great text, “Philip. Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.”

Jesus continues by saying that is exactly what  he has been doing. Jesus’ words are not his words, but the Father’s words. The Father is dwelling in him. What I, Jesus, am doing is the Father’s works.

W  W: words and works.

That to me is a great revelation.

To me that can be lost - in some of these mysterious comments Jesus  makes in the gospel of John.

Hopefully - a key reason we are in church - is to  enter deeper and deeper into God the Father and Jesus wants to introduce us to our Father. 

I sense people down deep want to know who this mysterious being called God is - what God does. They want to know the why’s of life - and sometimes they voice that by asking, “Who is God?” What is God like? or “Why did God do this to me? Why did this happen?”

I sense that we Christians separate God from Jesus when we get into this area of mystery.

Well, Jesus is telling us here in the Gospel of John - “Get me,  get God.”

“Get me - Jesus - walking around Israel 2000 years ago - and you’ll be getting into God - as you page up and down the roads of Israel with him.

Jesus is in the Eucharist and still on the cross in the suffering and the poor of the earth. I’m thinking mainly this morning about walking with Jesus on the pages of the scriptures - as he stops to talk, to listen, to heal, to feed others.

So we start with the Gospel of John and his mysterious and poetic way of speaking. We unpack some of that. It takes a lifetime. But we also move into the other gospels - and we see God walking down roads - feeding folks, healing folks, speaking to folks.

TO BE PRACTICAL: THAT MAN IS YOU

I think I got this - but forget it too, too often - back in the 1960’s - precisely 1964 when I read Louis Evely’s book, That Man Is You. 

His message was from the story of David in 2^nd Samuel 12: 7. David, the King,  had stolen Bathsheba, Uriah’s wife. He was one of David’s soldiers - who was off fighting while David was home having lots of siestas.  One afternoon David woke up - walked out onto one of his balconies and spotted this beautiful woman bathing down below. The rest is history. He got her pregnant - and sin unraveled.

To get David to see what he did, Nathan the Prophet came to David and told him about a rich man who stole a poor man’s sheep.

Someone with had many wives - wanted one more - and basically stole her from Uriah - one of his soldiers.

When David heard about the rich man who stole the poor man’s sheep, he got curious and furious and asked, “Who is that rich man who did that? I’ll make him pay for that behavior.”

And Nathan said, “That man is you.”

David got it and changed his life.

I got it when I read that book by Louis Evely that I’m every character - well not every character - in the Bible - in the Gospels - and when I read and hear the scriptures - all kinds of insights happen.

CONCLUSION

Well, in today’s gospel, Jesus is telling us about the insights that will hit us when we hear all that Jesus is telling us from the Father and when we see all that Jesus is doing because this is his Father’s will.

What is God like? Why is God like?  Who is God like?

Hello!   H  E  L L O!   It’s Jesus. 

CONSUBSTANTIAL

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this feast of St. Athanasius is, “Consubstantial.”

We’re familiar with that word “consubstantial” because it was reintroduced into the English translation of the Nicene Creed 2 years ago or so. 

And it caused a bit of an uproar. People said, including myself,  “Come on now…. The translation we were using was much better.”

Nope we were told, the word was to be “consubstantial” once again.

So “begotten, not made, one in Being with the Father” was changed to “begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father”.

HISTORY  - PREVIOUS UPROAR

A little history helps….

The question was: how to explain the Trinity in words? What words do we use?

Jesus talked about God his Father. Jesus talked about sending the Holy Spirit. Jesus talked about being one with the Father.

Jesus spoke in Aramaic…. The Jewish scriptures were in Hebrew.

Our thinkings and our talkings are in English. At least mine are.

The revelations about God were told in the Semitic thought patterns of Israel.

How do we tell the story  in Greek thought patterns - and Greek words?

Greek philosophy enters the picture - enters the conversation - steps out on the stage - when it comes to that question.

How can there be three persons in one God?

Are they all God? Are they all equal? Are they all the same?

What Greek nouns to use?

If we are to talk - we have to use some words.

For starters God is a Being. The Greek word for “being” is “OUSIA”.

All three persons in the Trinity are of the same being. The word for “same” in Greek is, “HOMOS”.

As I tell this story - I get nervous - because we’re talking about God here.

Adding to the difficulty and the complexity of all this - is the teaching and the tradition that Jesus was both human and divine.

In English we use the words “nature” and “person”.  That’s another whole history.

In the history of our Church there have been all kinds of heresies - mistakes - fights - discussions on what words to use - without going down the wrong path in talking about Jesus and in talking about the Trinity.

It took history - heresies - time and theology - councils and decrees - to come up with what we came up with.

So gradually the Greek term that was used for “same being” was “homoöusion”.

That was the word used for describing Jesus Christ at the Council of Nicea in 325.

A priest named Arius [258-336]  did not hold that Christ was God.

Some said he was human and God the Father put the “spark of God” in him.

Nope. All three persons in the Trinity were different - but all three were equally God.

Next - when we enter into the Latin, the Roman speaking world, what word do we use for “homoöusion”.  Answer: “Consubstantial. That became the Latin translation of the Greek word “homoöusion”.

It was a Latin word that Tertullian came up with - “consubstantialis”. It’s an adjective. It stuck - even though in time Tertullian struck out as a member of the Christian Church.

Another reality that makes all this complicated is that in Aristotle’s Greek Philosophy - and then Scholastic philosophy, “substance” means the essence - whereas in Western thought and in the English language “substance” often means material - matter.

In Aristotle’s ontology - how he sees being - there are 10 categories: the substance - what makes a chair a chair. That’s invisible. Then there are 9 accidents which can make one chair different from other chairs: quantity, quality, relation, habitus, time, place, position, action and passive.

This substance accident theory from Aristotle will help in talking about Christ in the Eucharist - in the bread. In transubstantiation the substance of bread changes - but the accidents remain the same.

But let’s stick with consubstantiation.

 So the bottom line is this: the Son is begotten, but before all ages, of the Father’s own being and the Spirit proceeds eternally.

Hello.

That’s a mouthful - far beyond our comprehension - but that’s roughly how the mystery of God as Trinity is talked about using Hebrew, Aramaic, Greek, Latin and English words.

So the uproar in coming up with that term at Nicea in 325 - was far bigger than the uproar a few years ago - when we got back to the word “consubstantial” when reciting the Nicean Creed.

To put into words the mystery of Christ - as human and divine - had to be done - but it can never be satisfactory. How could anyone but God understand the deepest mystery of God as Christians understand him: 3 persons in one God.

ENTER SAINT ATHANASIUS

Today we celebrate Saint Athanasius - his dates were around 298 - 373.

He fought all through his adult life for the theology about Christ and the Trinity that the Church accepted - and was sent into exile 5 times - for his beliefs.

So that is why he is known as the great defender of Christ and the Trinity that the Catholic Church holds today.

Attempts are made from time to time on how God is God - and sometimes theologians scream that something reworded is not correct. It’s heretical.

So I tread carefully in saying what I just said.

Enough already.

May 2, 2016

HURRY SUN

It’s been gray these early days of May.

April showers have continued into May.

Hurry up sun. Appear on the stage - so

the flowers can rise and take their bows.

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2016

WHERE  ARE  YOU? 

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this 6^th Sunday after Easter [C] is, “Where Are You?

A LIFETIME QUESTION

That’s a lifetime question we often ask each other.

When we’re lost, we say, “Where are we?” or “Where am I”

When we’re talking with someone at a coffee break or a get together, someone asks us, “Where are you with so and so?” or “Do you think he’ll get the nomination?” “Do you think she’ll be elected?”

I was a wedding reception yesterday afternoon and the St. Mary’s Alumni ceremony last night and a 50^th Anniversary today and I was asked those questions at least 5 times - just standing there.

The “Where are you?” question is heard about place and space and state of mind and opinion.

Where are you right now: financially, spiritually, moodily, health, age, what have you?

THE BEAUTY AND THE WONDER OF BEING A HUMAN BEING

The beauty and wonder of being a human being is that we can have our butt in one place and our mind in another place.

When preaching I know people are in yesterday, last week, next week, next summer, 20 years ago.

When bored we get on board and fly to other planets.

When having a conversation, the story we’re telling is triggering the stories in the library of the other’s mind - and when we take a breath, the other jumps in.

Human beings sort of drift on the waters with the waves of thought in the room - just floating words and conversations - often without much depth.

Then there is the below the waters.

If anyone knew this, it was Jesus - the great observer of the human condition.

I often wonder why he left his inner room - why he left the carpenter shop in Nazareth and hit the open road. What triggered that exit, that exodus? Had he seen enough - for him to say, “I have to say something about what I’ve been seeing and hearing up till now.”

TODAY’S READINGS

In today’s first reading we hear about this fight in the early Christian communities about Jewish laws - about circumcision, meat sacrificed to idols or strangled, unlawful marriage and what have you. [Cf. Acts 15:1-2, 22-29.]

In the gospels we know it was Jesus speaking out about laws crushing people - that the Sabbath Law was made for us and not vice versa. He told the story of the Good Samaritan - how two people,  a priest and a Levite, didn’t stop to help a person who was beaten up and robbed and left half dead, because that would mean breaking a law.

Where are you? Where are you on the purpose of Law?  We know the recent big meeting in Rome on the family - marriage  - and human life together - differences in people - and people who are different from us - how we see - how we be - how we treat one another. Where are you on all this? Read the Pope’s recent Letter, Amoris Laetita, On Love in the Family,  and ask as you read, where am I with all this? Ask where have I been, where am I now, and am I being called to reconsider where I am?

Today’s second reading puts us in a future place. Am I a dreamer? Do I often find myself in the future - in the next life - in eternity - or are they only thoughts for the old or for folks at a funeral?  Do I have faith in another life - a new life after this life in the New Jerusalem, as the Book of Revelation puts it in today’s second reading. [Cf. Revelation 21: 10-14, 22-23] Or if we use Dante, am I picturing being in heaven; Paradiso - and hopefully I’m not in the Inferno - Hell - but first I have to get through Purgatorio.

Today’s gospel has Jesus telling us, “Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him or her, and we will come … and make our dwelling with him or her.” [Cf. John 14:23-29]

Today’s gospel promises Peace - God’s kind of peace.

Where are you?

Do we realize we can go within - into our inner room as Matthew puts it or dwelling place as John puts it here in today’s gospel?

MARRIAGE AND FAMILY AND FRIENDSHIPS

The Book of Genesis tells us that it’s not good to go it alone.

Life tells us that it’s important that we do life with others.

Where am I?

Where are you?

It’s good to talk to each other about what we have learned and are learning and are wondering about in our life.

I had a job once as a Redemptorist priest to try to get us priests to talk and listen to each other.

Difficult.

For the most part, it didn’t work.

We also tried to get people in parishes to talk to each other - and listen to each other.

Difficult.

For the most part, it didn’t work.

We also tried to get priests of other orders and congregations to talk and listen to each other.

Difficult.

For the most part, it didn’t work

We have all heard about Marriage Encounter - it’s still around - but nothing like its big days. It was an effort to get couples to talk to each other - to listen - to write to each other - to get into the other - and basically to ask the  question that is the title of this homily, “Where Are You?”

We joke about the question, “How was your day?”

Yet it’s a good question - if we mean it more than small talk - if we really want to connect with each other.

We smile when another, waves their hand in front of our eyes, “Where are you?”

It’s not good to go it alone.

It’s great if they really want to know where we are.

CONCLUSION

Get a piece of paper. Get a magic marker. Have a magnet.

Write on that paper 3 words, “Where are you?”

Then answer that question: Where are we as a couple? Where are we as a family?  Where are we when it comes to acknowledging each other - listening to each other - being with each other. Amen.

May 1, 2016

MAY FIRST

It’s May 1^st. Workers of the World

unite. Carpenters, farmers, nurses,

plumbers, mechanics, sales people,

celebrate one’s work - one’s service - one's

need to earn enough for our daily bread.

It’s May 1^st. The silver bright plow

like a silver scissors slices the

dark brown ground. The farmer

is getting the earth ready for a

new planting,  a new season of

wheat. It’s been raining - slightly

on and off - the sun is peeking

through the clouds, making all

this a bit easier in this struggle

to make one’s livelihood.

It’s May 1^st. Workers of the World

unite. Work for good jobs, fair wages,

for families, babies, good schools, good

health benefits, a healthy environment,

so all can have and enjoy their daily bread.

  

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2016

April 30, 2016

EUCHARIST

Bread - sacred bread…. I hear you  saying, 

“Come and get me.” Yet, for some reason,

Christ, I stopped going to church - years

and years ago. By now I’ve forgotten my

excuses. Yet, this Pope Francis guy - I hear

him saying, “Come and get it. Jesus is not

too complicated.” I think I’m getting that.

But Jesus keep on fishing for me. Jesus,
Good Shepherd, keep searching for me. Jesus
keep me hungering and searching for you.

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2016