Wednesday, March 8, 2017


THE  SIGN OF JONAH -
CONTEMPLATION


INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this First Wednesday of Lent is, “The Sign of Jonah - Contemplation.”

Since both readings for today talk about Jonah, I better talk about Jonah. But to be more specific, I would like to talk about  the sign of Jonah. One of the ongoing scripture questions is: Just what was the sign of Jonah? [Cf. Jonah 3:1-10; Luke 11:29-32]

SIGNS

First signs.

We humans need signs: signs that we are here. Signs that we are recognized, accepted, acknowledged. We wait for texts and e-mails from others that they are alive and all goes well.  When we get medical tests, we anxiously await the results. When we are being operated on they keep an eye on our vital signs.

When it comes to God, we look for signs that God is present - that God is alive.

If God gave a message that God would appear in Bangkok Thailand or Reykjavik, Iceland, next July 14th, there wouldn’t be enough hotel space or airplanes to get the amount of people who would want to be there.

Jesus knew all this. He says in the gospel that people look for signs, but the only sign they are going to get is himself. He is the sign of Jonah.

At times Saint Alphonsus, the founder of us Redemptorists,  talked about people running all over the place for miracles etc., when we have Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.

Alphonsus states in his Practice of the Love of Jesus Christ, that God gives 3 great signs of his love: creation, the cross and the Eucharist.

YET

Yet we humans miss too many signs. They are there. Yet we aren’t looking.

The people of Nineveh got the message. They read the signs and they changed. They  repented.

So Jesus says, “I ain’t going to give you big miracles. Change!”

EXEGESIS

Ooops, I better get to my point about what is the sign of Jonah.

Let me give a bit of exegesis or Bible text explanations.

Exegetes looking at today’s gospel, say that the sign of Jonah is Jonah spending 3 days in belly of the whale. Just as Jesus spent 3 days in the belly of the earth (in a tomb), so too Jonah spent 3 days in the belly of a whale. Just as Jonah was thrown up on the shore, so too Jesus is thrown up again on the shore of the earth. He is born again.



Baptism is part of this story.  Easter is the big time for Baptism.

Others, would say, basing their stuff on today’s gospel from Luke, the sign of Jonah is the preaching of repentance. Exegetes always say that people are looking for big signs, big miracles, big wonders, before they will convert, before they will come to God, before they will come to Jesus. They say to Jesus in so many words, “Work the miracles we heard you worked in X, and we here in Y will change.” Alphonsus would comment that people go all over the place and neglect Jesus in our midst, for example in the tabernacle.

So - with various opinions - on all this,  we don’t know for sure what the sign of Jonah is.

THOMAS MERTON

For the sake of a thought for a weekday Mass during Lent, I would propose that the sign of Jonah is contemplation. Saying that is kind of odd and jarring - hopefully.

Let me try to explain.

When preparing this homily I recalled Thomas Merton’s book, The Sign of Jonah. Maybe that would help. I noticed that he says many things in that book, but what struck me was his idea of contemplation.

Being in the belly of the whale - being in that quiet, being caught in that inner room, Jonah had to think. He was stuck. He was imprisoned. He had to say, “Where am I? What did I do to get caught here?”

Figuring that out was contemplation. Jonah became a new person in the belly of the whale. Then he was reborn. He became a new person.

So too, we have to become quiet.  That’s one of the themes of Lent.

And in his book, The Sign of Jonah, Thomas Merton says, that in a cold, pre-spring moment he discovered in contemplation his whole vocation.

He said he rediscovered four things:
·       God,
·       himself
·       the scriptures
·       the divine office

ASH WEDNESDAY

On one Ash Wednesday, he saw that all will turn to ashes, whether it’s a great painting or the billboard that he was looking at while taking a trip into Louisville, that featured a Lucky Strike sign.  Both will turn to ashes. Seeing all that.

And then at the end of Lent, when all the buds are about to pop, he discovered that it’s all going to be new life. He discovered Easter again. Life not death. Buds not ashes.

CONCLUSION

So each of us, if we take and make time for contemplation, we can see some of these things.

For example, as in Psalm 130, we can go back to our mother’s lap or even to her womb.  We can discover in that quiet, new beginnings. We can be reborn. We can have a second spring. We can have new life.

And like Jonah we can start again.

The call is to do what God is calling us to do - not running the other way - which is what Jonah did at first.
March 8,  2017

WHODUNITS

Who did it? We play that game
every day … reading graffiti on
walls … wondering who left the
milk out … who didn’t pick up after
their dog … who dented our car …
who started that style … who said
what, when and why … who taught
that baby to have such a great
smile … who told her … who called …
who gave us such a beautiful dawn …
and who gave us this night sky?



© Andy Costello, Reflections  2017

Tuesday, March 7, 2017


HOW  TO  SAY 
THE  OUR  FATHER 
  
INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this First Tuesday in Lent  is, “How To Say the Our Father.”

That might be a good Lenten Resolution - to say the Our Father once a day very calmly and very prayerfully.

Remember Jesus says right before teaching his disciples the Our Father, “Do not babble.”

Once more, here are the comments he made, “"In praying, do not babble like the pagans, who think that they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them. Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.”

We have all be around long enough to know that people often babble the Our Father. Somewhere in our younger years - most of us sensed something was wrong when some people prayed the Our Father out loud - but in rush of babble. OurFatherwhoartinheavenhallowed bethynamethy kingdom comethywillbedoneonearthasitisinheaven.Giveusthisdayourdaily breadandforgiveusourtrespassesasweforgivethosewhotresspassagainstusandleadusnotintotemptationbutdeliverusfromevil.Amen

We knew instinctively that was not the way to pray or the way to talk to God for that matter to each other.

HOW TO SAY THE OUR FATHER

How to say the Our Father?  Picture God the Father sitting there in a nice comfy chair. Climb up onto the chair, onto God the Father and slowly say the Our Father into his ear or into his face or into his eyes.

How to say the Our Father?  Picture the slices of bread you are going to taste and eat today - including the Eucharist and say to God slowly and with great grace and reverence, “Give us this day our daily  bread.”  And pray  for all the children of the world - especially the hungry and the starving - those with nothing to eat - because of empty hands.

How to say the Our Father? Pray for peace in our world this day - along with that daily bread.  Pray that all people try to do God’s will in the world today - which will bring that peace. Pray that we all work to bring about the kingdom today - that it come about.

How to say the Our Father? Pray for the grace to be able to forgive each other and that they forgive us back - and we see those trespassing signs.

How to say the Our Father? For Lent find a good book on the Our Father and read it?

For example, Scott Hahn came out with a book last year entitled, Understanding "Our Father": Biblical Reflections on the Lord's Prayer.

Matthew Kelly had a small book on the Our Father - from back in 1994. It’s out of print now -  but I read that people are paying up to $212 dollars on line. The price of fame.

Or go back further,  Helmut Thielicke, has an excellent book on the Our Father, Our Heavenly Father: Sermons on the Lord's Prayer  -Translated by John W. Doberstein. New York: Harper & Row, 1960. I found that to be one of the best books on the Our Father.

Or go back to St. Teresa of Avila and her classic book on the Way of Perfection in which she reflects with great simplicity and prayerfulness the parts of the Our Father.

CONCLUSION

Whatever…. During this Lent grow in prayer and union and communion with God - by entering deeper and deeper into the Our Father. Amen.


Pray the Out Father - water the earth with it’s words day - steady rain or soft snow words - it will saturate the soil of the souls of all people. Amen.
March 7, 2017

CRUSTACEANS


Lobsters, crabs, shrimp, seafood’s finest,
oooooohhhh, I never order them. Oooooh.
I order, I eat, by look and prejudice only.
Those claws and clamps of crustaceans,
crab legs, lobster legs, are too scary for me -
along with all those sea monsters - with pedia,
poda, appendages - I’ll stick with hamburgers
and hotdogs and I’m sure lobsters and crabs
go for them as well, They are easy game as
long as somehow they get dumped into the bottom of the bay - and some crawling lobster or crab - crawling along says, “How about this?”



© Andy Costello, Reflections  2017

Monday, March 6, 2017


ONE  BUMPER  STICKER 
PER  PERSON 

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this First Monday in Lent is, “One Bumper Sticker Per Person.”

If you could put one bumper sticker on your car - what would it be?

Maybe you already have 5 on your car. If you do, you’re way ahead of me in this homily.

If you could put one scripture text on your car, what would it be?

For the sake of transparency, I have one of those magnet type - ribbon thing on my car, “Pray for Priests.”  It’s not a scripture text.

I hope someone seeing that said a prayer for priests when they saw it.

I assume it comes out of the abuse cases a bit - but I don’t know.

It’s tough seeing in the paper or on TV - a story about a priest being accused or being convicted of child abuse.

Pray for priests. Pray for those who have been abused by priests or anyone.

SCRIPTURE TEXT

I got the thought for this homily when I read today’s gospel.

Every time I see someone holding the  sign John 3:16  at a football or basketball game, I get the thought, “Why not Matthew 25:31-46?” Yet John 3:16 is very powerful,  “For 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”

Today’s gospel, Matthew 25: 31-46 - powerful implications.

So if you could put one biblical text on your car as a bumper sticker, what text would you choose?

I would put my favorite Bible text: Galatians 6:2, “Bear one another’s burdens and in this way you will fulfill the Law of Christ.”

Why not?



I’m sure I told  this story before, because I love it. A Jewish guy - a very successful  business man -  once said to me, “I have a great idea on how the pope can solve any money problem.” Then he added, “Don’t take this the wrong way.”  Then he said, “Every time I see the pope wearing that white outfit - I’m not sure just what you call it -  I see all that empty space with nothing written on it. I see it as great advertising space - going empty. What would it be like to see Pepsi Cola on it.”




What would it be like to read Matthew 25: 31-46 on the pope’s cassock?

If people took that parable of Jesus to mind and heart - could anyone be for trying to oust strangers from our country - and causing them and their families hell - and causing hell inside themselves - as they scream for their removal.

If people took that parable of Jesus to mind and heart - would they have to triple the size of waiting rooms in hospitals and prisons?

If people took that parable of Jesus to mind and heart - would people go to food pantries with extra mac and cheese and food and clothes for the poor and the hungry - and thank those who staff them.

AMEN - CONCLUSION


So the title of my homily is, “One Bumper Sticker Per Person.” So what does or would your bumper sticker say?
March 6, 2017


THE BEND 
OF THE MARCH WIND

Wind - testing the bendability of
branches - the tips of green crocuses -
pointing to the sky. “Don’t forget to look
up.”  Okay - in some northern places -
there might be more snow - and then
the reversals  snow can cause. But then 
again, Spring will show up - slowly - 
as it always does. Bird chirps and songs
are heard - now that windows are open. Gardeners appear - testing the bendability of their backs and  knees. There’s work 
to do. There's joy to have - after the winter. But most folks don’t like to see 
the broken branches on their lawn or
sidewalk - they are too much like 
seeing broken people  - down and out -after dark March night wind storm.



© Andy Costello, Reflections  2017

Sunday, March 5, 2017


I  HATE  CHOICES, 
I  LOVE  CHOICES 

Once upon a time there were twins: Penny and Dollar.

Yes,  that’s what their parents named them: Penny and Dollar.

Yes, that was the names these twins were baptized with: Penny and Dollar.

A girl named Penny and a boy named Dollar.

They were wondering if the priest would say at the time of their baptism: “Why don’t you pick saints names?” 

“Nope”, the priest said, “It’s your choice”  - and after he heard the reason for the names - he said, “Great Choices.”

Penny was named after her great grandmother - Penelope - better known as Penny all through her life.   She was so excited that her grandkids chose to name their baby girl after her. Wow. What an honor. All her life she wondered if anyone would ever chose to call their kid Penelope. Well, they didn’t. Then named her Penny - not Penelope - a name she never liked - but Penny a name she always loved.

Now what name would they give Penny’s twin brother?

Surprise, they chose Dollar. Yes, Dollar - a very unique name, if there ever was a unique name.  It was Penny’s husband’s nick name. His real name was Bill - which became in time and life, “Dollar” - as in Dollar Bill - and then shortened to just “Dollar”.

When Penelope and Bill walked into a family gathering everyone loved calling them Penny and Dollar  - the richest people in the whole wide world.

And at every family celebration, every birthday party, ever Thanksgiving, they loved walking into the house - and as first order of business they would give every kid and every adult - present - a present of a penny - “A penny from Penny” as she loved to say - and always a shiny penny at that - every time - and a brand new dollar bill - crisp and clean -  from Dollar -every time.

Everyone loved it - and got used to it - lining up in the living room - all in a straight line - receiving there crisp dollar bill and their bright shiny penny from Penny and Dollar.

Not bad. Great idea. Unique family tradition - and unique family story: great.

Now in time everyone got used to the twins names - Penny’s name never needed at explanation to others and especially to teachers in school. But Dollar’s name being Dollar - now that took time getting used to - and the explanation about his great grandfather - Dollar Bill - usually just called, “Dollar.”

But a name is a name. Personality is what counts.

What kind of kids, what kind of persons were Dollar and Penny?

Well, like most people, you have to know them - you’d have to be with them - to get to know them.

Let me put it this way.

Penny loved choices. Dollar hated choices.

Penny became a smile.  Dollar became a whine.

Penny was a happy face. Dollar was an unhappy face.

Every time they went to Burger King or Wendy’s or McDonalds, when Penny saw the list - the choices - the menu - she loved studying the menu above the counter where you made your order - the options - the possibilities - and then with a great smile on her face - she would announce her choice and always finish with the sentence, “I love choices.”

Every time they went to Friendlies or Dunkin Donuts or Burger King, Dollar hated it - and would often say with a whine, “I hate choices.”

He didn’t mind it when people made the choice for him - even when there was a dollar special.

So Dollar became kind of narrow in his outlook - the way he saw and the way he did life; while Penny became quite open for more and more possibilities and much more happiness in life.

Penny loved life - especially since there were so many choices - so many colors, so many TV programs, friends, sports, musical instruments, what to do on Saturdays.

Penny loved it that she was in a sister-brother twinship - as opposed to a sister-sister twinship. She didn’t have to be like a couple of sisters who were twins in her school - both always wearing the same outfit.  Ugh, she would say,  “I love choices.”

So Penny became good news - a smile - while Dollar became sad news - a whine.

Why? Who knows?

Who knows why we become whom we become and how we are?

A little baby in a baby seat in a car doesn’t think to himself or herself, “I’m going to become a whine, an unhappy person all my life - or I’m going to be a happy baby.

Nope we don’t know how all this happens. It’s one of the mysteries of life.

Why did Adam and Eve become the way Adam and Eve became?

Why did Adam and Eve eat the forbidden fruit?

The Bible gives some reasons - for example. to be like God - at least that was what the devil, that snake in the grass, told Eve.

And why did Adam eat the forbidden fruit? We’ll never know that either - but we know he blamed his wife - because he said she made that choice for him.

But what the Bible tried to tell us is that we have choices - and some choices are not healthy - and some choices are.

And at some point - we have be more like Penny - discover choices - make good ones - and avoid choosing bad ones.

Now when Penny and Dollar studied this stuff in religion class, Penny got it and her twin brother Dollar didn’t.

Dollar chose not to think - just to memorize the answers.

His sister Penny tried to tell him the reasons for things - that it’s great to have choices  - and to resist the temptation to be lazy….  She often said to her brother, “Hey Dollar, think. It’s great that we can choose - not who our parents are - not that we’re twins - not what name we got - but in time we can choose to try to laugh and smile and make life nice and sweet for each other - and see the beauty of all the possibilities we all have every day.

Penny told Dollar, “I know you hate blueberry pie, but grandma loves making blueberry pie, so choose to eat it - ask to have it smothered with peach ice cream, I’ve noticed that’s your favorite - even though you say you have no favorites. So choose to make grandma’s day by eating her blueberry pie.”

It took Dollar longer than it had to take, but slowly he got it.


He got it because he chose to listen to his sister. He got it because he chose to change - but slowly. He got it because he realized he had the power over some things in life - not all - but some - and those choices can help a person to change from being a whine to becoming a smile. Amen.


O O O O O O O

[This was a story I wrote last night for our Kids' Mass this morning at 8 AM.  The theme was "Choices' - as chosen by the 4th Grade. It's the First Sunday of Lent - Year A].