July 14, 2016

BUG TEST

Is there a personality test using bugs?

Am I a fly or a mosquito or a bee?

I’ve heard about a guy who got the

nickname, “Moth,” because he only

came out at night. Then there was

“Grasshopper” who showed up

at every party. Then there was,

"Spider". Why did they call her that?

How about "Lady Bug"? She was

always so, so quiet. And what

ever happened to “Praying Mantis”?

She knew every church in town.

I know I would never want to be

called “Slug” or “Termite” - being

lazy or being a home destroyer.

Wait! I wouldn’t mind being called,

“Lightning Bug” - bringing a surprise

of light to folks on a dark night.

  

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2016

Note: This is Self Test # 22 on this blog. Can you find the other 21 on my blog?

July 13, 2016

ENERGY LEVELS

One third, one half, two thirds….

I don’t like it - that I don’t give it

my all - when it comes to listening,

when it comes to working,

when it comes to caring,

when it comes to paying attention

to what I’m doing. Sorry others.

Yet, as I look at all this, I’m trying 

to be 100 percent honest here. 

Distractions, low energy levels,

wasting too much time at the TV,

aging, oh, I have my excuses.

And when it comes to prayer,

one third, one half …. Sorry God.

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2016

THE CHICKEN RUNS 

AT MIDNIGHT STORY

July 12, 2016

A  SIMPLE  STONE

Sometimes some stones stand out….
I pick one up and the simplicity of

a stone hits me like David hitting
Goliath in the center of his head.

It’s one piece. It’s not complicated.

It can do all kinds of things. Be part

of a patio or a wall or it can be

skipped on the water for 10 bounces.

God - I can see why they made you

out of stone - but then again - your

lips didn’t move - your heart didn’t feel -

so obviously they looked for more.  

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2016

IF TRUMP
WERE A PRIEST.

LET ME SEE
HOW THIS WORKS.

SOMEONE SENT ME
THIS.

WHERE ARE  YOU FROM?

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this 15^th Tuesday in Ordinary Time is, “Where Are You From?”

Somewhere along the line,  I heard someone say: “The American First Question is, ‘Where are you from?’”

In other countries,  people often settled down - just 5 minutes from the home they grew up in - if not closer - so what’s their first question? “How are you today?” or “What’s going on?” or “How’s your dad?”

In America people are often from somewhere else.  Not everyone is an Annapolitan or a lifetime Naptown or Eastport resident.

TODAY’S READINGS

I decided to think about this theme, because both readings feature towns and cities. 

The first reading features Jerusalem.

Damascus, Samaria, and Ramallah are also mentioned.

Isaiah says, “All will be destroyed unless the people of Damascus, Samaria, Ramallah, Jerusalem return to their faith.”

Today’s psalm refrain was: “God upholds his city for ever.”

And today’s gospel challenges the people of Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum - to receive Christ - and his life and his message.

Today’s readings are like standing there at a crossroads or an airport - looking at the names of all these places one can go to or be from.

Is the bottom line in every conversation these 2 questions: 1) “Where are you coming from?” and 2) “Where are you headed with this?”

FURTHER QUESTIONS

Now let me see if I can come up with at least one interesting or looking under a rock question?

After Annapolis, what do we talk about?

We can be welcoming to strangers who come here to St. Mary’s.  We are a tourist town - in many ways. At Sunday Mass I like to say, “Welcome to any visitors.”  How about you?

I often wonder if our tower has any impact - especially in the area of faith and hope. With the scaffolding up there now, has anyone noticed us more? Has anyone heard God’s voice when he said to Francis of Assisi, “Go rebuild my church. And he thought it was the building at first.

We have a beautiful garden. Does anyone just stand there and watch folks sit with Seelos? I’ve heard our priests say when they see someone sitting there, say,  “He still hears confessions.” Does anyone see people reading the many stones in the garden with writing on them? Do you have a favorite one? What are people thinking who sit there outside the Blessed Sacrament Chapel - seeing people going in and coming out?

When walking about town and I spot tourists checking out that tourist multifold map of Annapolis, I often say, “Welcome to Annapolis.” Then add. “If you’re looking for a nice spot to check out,  see St. Mary’s on Duke of Gloucester. It’s the most visible church from a distance. It’s a great old church with history. Then there’s the Carroll House  behind it.

When talking with folks, I hope we’re not smug - bragging about where we come from and putting down where others come from.

Okay,  unless it’s a calm, quiet - pick on - type of  fun comment.

I lived in the Midwest for 81/2 years before I came here to Annapolis - as well as Wisconsin for a year. We preached parish missions in a couple of hundred small towns. They were neat places to visit or work in. Frank Lloyd Wright said, “I doubt if there is anything in the world  uglier than a Midwestern city.”

I disagree with his comments -  oops there is a place between Lima and Paulding Ohio that was pretty ugly when I lived out there.

I ended up describing Midwest towns having 3 regular values: faith, family and sports.

I’d say that because that was my evaluation - hoping others would think about their take on towns and cities they have been in - and their place in town.

CONCLUSION -

Welcome to Annapolis. Welcome to  St. Mary’s today.  Where are you coming from?  Does this place impact you or make you better? 

LISTEN

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for the feast of St. Benedict is, “Listen.”

The first word in his Rule is, “Listen….”

If there is anything this world needs now - but also yesterday and also tomorrow is that we listen.

I’ll use a Preface for  this Mass today that calls for us to meet with each other. 

I would hope that when we meet with each other, we will do double with the listening and half with the speaking.

That might make for a great meeting.

We have 2 ears and 1 mouth. How many times have we heard that one?

So the title of my homily for this the feast of St. Benedict is the first word in his rule, “Listen….”

THE 4 STEPS

We have all heard the 4 step process of prayer in the Benedictine Tradition which comes from the Christian Desert period in the Church.

The first step is the Lectio Divina - the Divine Reading.

Step One: Read the instructions - before acting - before jumping in.

Before the journey read the map - type into your GPS where you’re going.

Stop before you start.

Look before you leap.

Listen before you speak.

We know the second step is to think about what we just read. It’s called “Meditatio” - Meditation - Thinking -  Reflecting - Wondering about - Questioning.

The third step is Oratio - praying. That’s the movement to the mouth - to speak with the mouth. Ora is the Latin word for mouths - to orate, give an oration - and when speaking to God - it’s prayer - an oration.

The fourth step is Contemplation. There is the shutting up again - and letting what we have experienced sink in.

FIRST STEP: LECTIO DIVINA

But let me get back to the first step: the Divine Reading.

This would include the whole day - the whole of creation - all that surrounds us - the light of a new day awakening us - or our body awakening us……

Listen. Open up our ears to hear creation - birds singing - people moving - life for today.

Listen. To open up our mind to what are the calls of this day.

Listening - so it’s not just reading a book - but reading everything.

It’s standing on top of the mountain of morning - and looking down - ahead - into the valley of today.

ST BENEDICT

On this day we are called to listen to the life of St. Benedict….

His dates are around 480 to 550.

As a young man he decided to escape from it all - and ended up in a quiet cave in Subiaco - now part of Italy.

Why do people step back?

Read people who do that?

Why do coaches call, “Time out!”

Benedict stepped back into God and began reading all that God had created.

He was becoming Saint Benedict.

People realized it would be a good move to listen to this man called Benedict.

Benedict founded monasteries.

Benedictine monasteries preserved great books.

Benedictine monasteries dotted and saved Europe.

Benedict and his monasteries preserved Western civilizations - just as Buddhists and Buddhist and Confucian and other religious centers persevered culture.

Lots of religious groups read and used Benedict’s rule to come up with their rules.

Lots of prayer systems - used the Benedictine 4 step method - which goes back into earlies times.

The Jesuit Exercises come out of the Benedictine Method which came out of the Early Christian Desert movements.

CONCLUSION

Listen….

I’m listening to the clock. Enough with the talking - more with the listening.

Today practice listening.

Today lookup on line - on the Internet - Benedict - and Monte Cassino and

go from there.

Doing that I got in touch with some fond memories of taking a taxi from a village down below Monte Cassino and I went up to the top - and I began reading history from the first inch of the trip.