Monday, October 31, 2016

October 31, 2016

AT  THE  TABLE

On the table, knives, forks, spoons,
glasses, big plates, small plates,
a big salad bowl, salad dressings,
bread, butter, roast beef, gravy,
mashed potatoes, peas, a pie,
cloth napkins, cups and saucers,
sugar. salt, Old Bay, honey,  pepper,
tabasco Sauce, two candles….


At the table 6 people - on 6 chairs -
with 6 cell phones - texting and
talking - with 6 people maybe at
other tables in far cities and towns -
all in communication with each other -
telling each other what they are
having for dinner with each other
and what’s happening around the table.



© Andy Costello, Reflections 2016

ME TOO, O LORD


INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this 31st Monday in Ordinary Time  is, “Me Too, O Lord.”

For years when I heard today’s gospel - Luke 14: 12-14 - when it talks about inviting into our lives the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind, I have felt guilty - because I have not done this - that is, inviting the poor  inside the rectories I have lived in.

And from time to time I have read about people and places doing this - and I have not been able to say, “Me too, O Lord.”

In my first assignment, living and working on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, New York City  - East 3rd Street - Most Holy Redeemer Church and Rectory - we didn’t do this - but 2 blocks and less than a mile away - the Catholic Worker place did - with Dorothy Day.

We do it a tiny bit here in the winter for a week. If any of you do that, great and thank you. And the St. Vincent de Paul Society does a lot for the poor - and various parishioners volunteer at the Lighthouse Shelter, and this parish is very, very generous in helping the poor.

Still I feel guilty…. for not doing this - not hobnobbing with the poor, the crippled, the lame and the blind - as Jesus tells us to do in today’s gospel and especially in the Gospel of Luke.

THEN ONE DAY

Then one day it struck me - living with other priests - we are the poor, the crippled, the lame and the blind - and we live together - and are working at living with one another.

Then another day - some time after that first realization - I realized that I am poor, crippled, lame and blind.

Then I realized that could be a cop out from being with the poor, the crippled, the lame and the blind.

Then I realized each of us and all of us Christians have to deal with this reality - this challenge - coming from the words of Jesus.

And I’m very aware in all the primaries and in the presidential debates, I don’t remember hearing a sentence or very little about the poor.

And I have heard enough people say the following: “With all the people in the United States, we couldn’t come up with better candidates in the primaries and the presidential debates.”  Notice  how I word that comment. I have problems with politics and the pulpit.

Of course - but we need to say, “Me too, O Lord.”

So that brings me back to my comment: I am poor, crippled, lame and blind.

Hence the title of my homily.

PRIESTS

I have lived with enough priests in the past 50 years to say we are the poor, the crippled, the lame and the blind.

Look at the priest - kids abuse problem in our church. I’ve heard numbers from 2% to 6%. I’ve heard that the numbers are higher when it comes to sexual abuse in families, etc.,  etc.,  etc.  So there are crippled people in our midst - in all structures of life and society.

I have never forgotten the comment I once heard that came from a little old lady in Jersey City, New Jersey, “The 5 marks of the Catholic Church are. It’s one, holy, Catholic, apostolic and it survives its clergy.”

Being a priest I know about people’s complaints about us priests.

I know the comment about priests, “1/3 like you, 1/3 don’t like you, and 1/3 don’t give a dang about you.”

I’m sure that comment can be made of everyone - every family - every situation.”

SO THE FIRST STEP IS

The first step is to know that each of us is poor, crippled, lame and blind in our own way.

That first step can then lead us into this place, into this banquet, into this meal with Jesus - and to have the great feeling of being at home with Jesus the host - at Mass.

The second step is that like Jesus we then treat other poor, crippled, lame and blind others as he has treated us. In other words we take have begun to take on these wonderful qualities we heard about in today’s first reading: compassion, mercy, joy, love, unity humility, regarding and more interest in others as more important than ourselves. [Cf. Philippians 2:1-4.]

CONCLUSION


Today Halloween is a great feast day. We have in us ghoulishness, monsters, trick or treating others as okay if they sweeten us up - as well as having tomorrow’s qualities - our call to all of us being and becoming saints.

Sunday, October 30, 2016

October 30th, 2016

9 HEADS, 
9 THOUGHTS, 
1 BARBER


“Interesting ears….”

“Smug today are we? I hear you, 'But your team keeps winning.'”

“Tough skull, tough hair, you’re tough to make happy.”

“Lonely in there, hah?”

“Great smile! What’s causing that today?”

“Dropped God? Start searching. God will find you!”

“This new one…. She’ll be better.”

“Wow! You're silent today. You don’t know it yet, but you haven’t hit bottom yet.”

“You’re one of God's good people! You’ll accept that one of these years.”


© Andy Costello, Reflections 2016


HAVING 
THE WISDOM OF GOD


INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time [c] is, “Having the Wisdom of God.”

If you want something to pray for -  this week - it’s that: to have the wisdom of God.

Big prayer!  To have the wisdom of God….

LET ME SPELL THAT OUT - TODAY’S FIRST READING

Let me spell that out. Let me spin that out. Let me make that more specific - namely and mainly - to have the kind of attitude God has for us - to have that kind of attitude towards each other.

Did we hear what today’s first reading said to us?

The reading is from the Book of Wisdom - 11:22 to 12:2.  The first reading began this way: “Before the Lord - the whole universe - is as a grain from a balance - or a drop of morning dew - come down upon the earth.”

Picture that.  A scale has on one side some sand to measure what’s going on the other side. The writer of the Book of Wisdom says in God’s eye, in God’s mind, the whole universe is as a grain of sand or of dust as one translation puts it -  that tips a balance scale.

Tonight - stand on the grass or sidewalk - outside of where you live. Look up into the sky - into the universe. The writer of Wisdom - which dates to the last half of the first century B.C. would not know what we today know of the vastness of the universe - and we have no clue to what they will know in the year 3016 or 30,016. But standing there the author could see the vastness of the dark night and the multitude of stars up there - but without planes heading for the Cairo or Alexandria airport. Not there yet.

Or in the morning look at a drop of morning dew on your shoe or on a plant when walking the dog or on your windshield and say to God. “You’re aware of all this. Wow!  If that’s true, you must be aware of all of us little old me’s as well. Thank You, God. Thank You.”

Then this document called, “The Book of Wisdom” says, “But you have mercy on all, because you can do all things; and you overlook people’s sins that they may repent.”

Catch that. We’re listening to Pope Francis say that same message - loud and clear - all this year - this year of mercy.

Wow. Addison Wright, a Biblical Scholar, says in The New Jerome Biblical Commentary that someone wrote what I just quoted - but in Greek - for Jews - probably in Egypt - “probably Alexandria, the great intellectual and scientific center of the Mediterranean world and one of the largest centers of the Jewish Diaspora.”

Next, catch God’s wisdom.

By forgiving us - by not jumping all over us - by showing us mercy - God’s wisdom - is that people are more apt to change by forgiveness and mercy that by scream, anger, punishment or threat.

Is the opposite true?

Do we change more by a pat on the back or a kick in the butt?

Do we respond to fear - as in fear of God - fear of hell - fear of punishment - more than by love of God and hopes for eternal life with God - and with those who went before us?

St, Alphonsus who started the Redemptorists said, “Fear works!”  Then he adds, “But in the long run - fear fades. Love doesn’t. It takes more time, but love and mercy is the secret.”

I am very much aware of this message - because my dad - I lucked out - was a piece of cake - had a fantastic smile - and only once corrected me  while growing up - sending me to bed without supper - because I wouldn’t eat stew on a Saturday night - all that stuff mixed together - oooh - especially ugly green soggy string beans. OOOOOOhhhh!

This happened before the Holy Communion fast was changed - so we had to fast from midnight on. I was an altar boy the next morning - and hadn’t had food the night before - so as altar boy - I fainted up at the altar - causing a minor commotion - they tell me - and they had to carry me into the sacristy - and for the rest of my growing up - it was cheese sandwiches and peanut butter and jelly forever and ever Amen.

OKAY TODAY’S GOSPEL

As you know the first reading and the gospel are often connected. [Cf. Luke 19:1-10.]

We heard about Zacchaeus - a chief tax collector and a wealthy man - being spotted in a tree by Jesus.

This short shifty sneaky sinner - in a sycamore tree - was called out and down out of that tree by Jesus and Jesus invites himself into the tax collectors house for a meal.

Notice this causes grumble. Nobody liked tax collectors who overtaxed everyone to get money for the Romans and then for himself.

Notice too that Jesus eats with him - has communion with him - before his repentance - before his conversion - before his change of attitude and behavior.  Notice that. Notice that - in your conscience struggles - and in your communion with Jesus our Lord.

Notice Zacchaeus says, “Behold half of my possessions, Lord, I shall give to the poor, and if I extorted anything from anyone I shall repay it four times over.”

Notice - niceness works. Mercy works. Acceptance works. Love works.

This gospel story is one more forgiveness and mercy story - Luke being the gospel of mercy - the gospel for this year.

I don’t know the mind of Matthew - Mark - Luke and John.

So I say with hesitation that Luke doesn’t give us the Parable of the Sheep and the Goats - found in Matthew 25 - Matthew - a former tax collector. Okay he has the story of Rich Man and Lazarus - the rich man never noticing the poor man - Lazarus at his door - and the Rich Man goes to Hell for being so self-centered.

So….

CONCLUSION


The person who can tell us - what works best - fear of hell or hope of heaven - is us.

Saturday, October 29, 2016


NOTICING  THE  LITTLE  GUY,  
THE  LITTLE  GAL,  THE  ANAWIM

INTRODUCTION

Today’s first and third reading trigger the thought of noticing the little guy. So the title of my homily for this 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time [C] is, “Noticing the Little Guy, The Little Gal, the Anawim”

This is a key theme in the Hebrew scriptures: Don’t forget the Anawim. A N A W I M:  Aniwim. It’s the Hebrew word, for “The Little People.” The little people are God’s People.

This would be a good homily, if this week, everyone here noticed people we never noticed before - especially the little people - especially people we don’t think important – people we walk by every day.

This would be a great homily – if everyone here began to notice people we never noticed before – especially the unnoticed – for the rest of our lives.

This would make my day. It would also might make the day of the person we noticed.

FIRST READING

God notices all people. God is concerned with all people.

Today’s first reading presents a paradox. It’s from the book of Wisdom. The author begins: “Before the Lord the whole universe is as a grain from a balance – a weighing scale in the market place - or a drop of morning dew come down upon the earth.”

What an amazing notice! This universe is vast. We have no clue how far and how many universes there are out there – and how far it goes.  Our universe doesn’t stop at our ceiling.

Spot a piece of dandruff on the shoulder of someone in front of you. The author is saying: “To God this vast endless looking universe is like that tiny, tiny speck of dandruff, skin that softly dropped off someone’s scalp to someone’s shoulder.”

Then the author switches his thought and says: “Even though everything is so small to God, God sees all. God has fashioned all. God loves everything and everyone He has made. God is a lover of all souls” God notices all!

A FOOTBALL GAME

We’re at a football game. The place is packed. People are everywhere. Whom do we notice? Whom do we see?

Parents notice their kid or kids on the field or in the stands. The rest of us might be spotting a running back or quarterback or cheerleader – or wondering where the beer man is.

God is spotting everyone. We are all God’s children.

We see those we know – sometimes. We see crowds. God sees every individual person – those on the field, those in the stands, the person in the ambulance reading the newspaper because he or she doesn’t’ like football, but is there in case of an injury.

God notices the little guy, the little gal, the Anawim.

THE SCULLY FAMILY

I grew up on 62nd Street in Brooklyn, N.Y. We moved to that street because a man named Mr. Tim Scully told my dad about a house there. He had gotten my dad a job at Nabisco. I’ve heard several times that Mrs. Scully brought my mom to Victory Memorial Hospital for my birth. I don’t remember that.  I also have heard a story that Mrs. Scully once checked my head after she heard  I had fallen on my head in the basement  - right onto a hard cement basement floor. My head was soft. She got me to the hospital.

So Mr. and Mrs. Scully were very much part of our growing up years.

We went to their house to watch TV - especially the ball games before we had TV. At Christmas time I remember they had electric trains that went around the Christmas tree. We didn’t. We never did.

Well, one of their grandsons, Jack Scully, was All American football player at Notre Dame. He was a big guy. Notre Dame could use him this year. He then started for the Atlanta Falcons for about 11 years. Well, whenever the Falcons played on television, I saw crowds in the stands, players on the field, lots of people with numbers – but I found myself always looking for Number 64. I noticed Jack Scully. I didn’t notice the guy who held the clip board or Ipad for the coach.

When God watches us everyday, God notices the little guy, the little gal, the Anawim. God sees everyone of us – especially the unnoticed by everyone else.

ART FINAN

A priest named Art Finan once gave a sermon at St. Michael’s Church in West End, N.J. His sermon was on today’s readings and every time I read these readings I remember what happened after that Mass – a Mass I wasn’t even at. I was having lunch with some people who went to that Mass and they were talking about the sermon that Father Art Finan had preached. He told them about the Anawim. I stole his sermon thought secondhand and you’re hearing it today. He said that the Anawim were like crumbs - the iddy bitty crumbs that fall off our toast onto a kitchen counter or onto the floor. The Anawim are the crumbs – especially those on the floor. We step on them.

God doesn’t. God is concerned with them. He sent the prophets to tell people to be aware of the unnoticed – the rejected.

He sent his son to reach out to them. He sends us to be for them.

JOE ADAMEC

A few years ago a Redemptorist priest named Joe Adamec died. I followed him after he got off the job as novice master for our students. I didn’t know that was going to happen when I once found myself dropping into our parish of St. Mary’s in Buffalo, N.Y. on my way somewhere.

Then, I found out at supper, it was Joe’s last night at St. Mary’s Parish there – before he left for Wisconsin to be Novice Master.

After supper, Joe asked me, “Do you want to see the parish?” I said, “Good.” It was raining. It was night. But he still gave me a great tour of the parish.  

The parish was in one of the toughest sections of Buffalo. Well, we went into bars and everyone said, “Hi Father Joe.” We went into this three story abandoned house. The roof had a big hole in it and I could see the night and the rain coming through. But I didn’t notice this guy living in a corner in some cardboard boxes. Joe knew he was there., “Hi Father Joe.”

9 years later I ended up taking Joe’s place as novice master and he went to our parish in Boston – that’s a small town in New England – that has people making lots of noise lately.

Years later, another priest, also named Father Joe, told me that he was covering two hospitals:  one for Father Joe Adamec and the other for this other priest for two weeks – so they could go on vacation. This second Joe, Father Joe Krastel - now here at St. Mary’s, Annapolis, told me that he goes to the first hospital, the one which Father Joe visited and it was the Haitian floor cleaners who kept asking, “Where’s Father Joe?”

Joe Krastel laughed, because when he covered the other hospital for this other priest, it was only the pretty nurses who kept asking where this other priest was.

Whom do we see? Whom do we notice?

MY DAD

I think of my dad. He had a fourth or fifth grade education.  One of his wonderful traits was his profound respect for all people – especially the little guy. I remember vividly him talking about the different men he worked with at Nabisco – those running the high lo’s, those running the elevators, etc. He would always be talking about these fellow workers with a rich smile on his face - people at work who fascinated him. Looking back, I loved that quality in my dad. He noticed the little people.

TODAY’S GOSPEL

In today’s gospel, Jesus notices the Little Guy – Zacchaeus – up a tree and invites himself into Zacchaeus’ home. The town knew who Zacchaeus was – and they didn’t like him. As we read the Gospel of Luke – as well as the other gospels, we’re often surprised at the people Jesus noticed. It’s often people nobody else noticed.

As people read our gospel: the gospel according to Jane or Sarah or Evelyn or Larry or Bernie or Walter, who are the people they read that we notice?

CONCLUSION

The title of my homily is, “Noticing the Little Guy, the Little Gal, the Anawim.”

This week, let’s notice one another – especially the Little Ones.

Noticing is the step before loving one another. We have to notice each other first.



This week stop a few times before you take your next step. Notice who is around – who is surrounding you. Is there anyone you’re not noticing? Is there anyone you’re treating as a crumb – those whom you think are crummy – and invite them down off the tree or up from the floor and invite yourself into their life. Amen.  

October 29, 2016


EMPTY

He seemed to be so full of
himself - brag, brag, brag -
that he was scared  to make
room for anyone else in his life.

She seemed to be so full of
emptiness - quiet, quiet, quiet -
that she was scared to make
room for anyone else in her life.



© Andy Costello, Reflections 2016

Friday, October 28, 2016

October 28, 2016

BREAD

Bread, broken, sliced, cut, shared….
Sitting here with you at this table ….
With you, with words, with wine ….
This is me…. This is my body ….
And even if you crucify me on some
bad Friday, I’ll make it a good Friday
with love, forgiveness, and resurrection.


© Andy Costello, Reflections 2016