July 23, 2017

FADE

Fading, fading ….

We avoid it

and we ignore  it.

We only have

so much time

and we know it.

Like the cover

of a paperback book

left on a window sill, we fade.

Life, I better do a lot more

between my covers to be novel

and to enjoy telling my story.

Fading, fading ….

Who me? Yes me.

I know it and I don’t like it .

© Andy Costello, Reflections  2017

CLAIMING  MY  TERRITORY

We know how cats claim their spots.

We humans are much more subtle.

We shrug shoulders - raise our nose -

lower our eyes - give a look - tweak

our upper lip - to let another know:

“Move it. Get out of my territory.”

Jesus let others touch his tassels. He

put his finger in their ears - his spit on

their eyes and tongue. His bread and wine,
his body and blood, entered their bodies.

We know how fat cats claim their spots.       
We humans have to be much more humble.

© Andy Costello, Reflections  2017

Cf. Mark 7:23; Mark 8:23;

Mark 6: 56; Mark 14: 22-25. 

July 22, 2017

Mary Magdalene's sin
cast such a long shadow -
that Jesus could not but
step onto her path.

Happy feast 
of St. Mary Magdalene.

July 21, 2017

COUNTERBALANCED 

She was 55 when she figured out

what she was about in life. It was

to counterbalance conversations

and friendships and classrooms

and family and both her marriages.

The first one didn’t work. Sorry.

"If" was the center of the seesaw.

If you said so and so was a loser,

she would counter with a comment

about her strengths. If you were

needing money, out came her wallet.

If you were lost, she would find you.

If you don’t know what to do with

your life - think about being a

counterbalance - offsetting - what is

wrong with what is right - being

present when love is absent - being

an ear when nobody is listening.

© Andy Costello, Reflections  2017

WAR  OF  1812! 

DOES  SEEING

THE  BIG  PICTURE 

EVER  STOP 

  A  WAR? 

July 20, 2017

THANK YOU

“Thank you”:

two short words

that try to sum up -
but they really can't -

the wide width,

the high height,

the deep depth,

of the feelings of gratitude

and generosity

that grow and groan -

and sometimes emerge up

and out of the human heart,

but like Christ

in the garden,

Christ on the Cross,

Christ in the Bread,

if we’re open today,

he’ll bring us communion,

Holy Communion

with each other -
this day and any day we choose.

Amen. 

© Andy Costello, Reflections  2017

SING 
TO  US 
YOUR  SONGS!