October 15, 2017

DISTURB

Saint Teresa of Avila 

famously  said,
“Let nothing disturb you!” 

Well, I’m no saint, 

but I hope a lot of things 

disturb you. 

I hope you yell when 

someone dumps their 

junk  on our  sidewalks. 

Liars…. Liars …. Liars…. 

May your pants go on fire 

every time you  tell a lie. 

I hope you scream, 

“Wait a minute!” when bullies

start to take over the room.

More people need to stop abuse 

and cover-ups and allowing the 

uppity ups to get away with murder. 

So, Saint Teresa, sorry to disturb you, but 

if I read your story correctly, you surely weren't

scared to disturb the hell out of people.

©  Andy Costello, Reflections  2017

October 14, 2017

WALLS

Walls…. 
Maybe that's what he's doing.

If he’s that nasty and inwardly disturbed, 
maybe he wants us to build walls
around him so as to hide from us 
and we'll gladly pay for them - 
but that's sick thinking as well. 
It's not good for anyone to be alone.

© Andy Costello, Reflections  2017

October 13, 2017

FRIDAY THE 13th

Why is Friday the 13^th bad,

spooky or what have you? Why?

Was it the day Jesus died?

Was it the day Judas cried?

Is time that relative? Are some

days different from other days?

Of course…. But as to Friday the 13^th,

carpe diem, live today to the full.

© Andy Costello, Reflections  2017

BEST PRACTICE

We still have time 
to go figure 
and to go reflect.

What would we want 
our last words
to another to be?

Try out possibles
to each other. Then practice 
the best on each other. 

October 12, 2017

BOOTS   ON   THE GROUND
MOON IN THE SKY

Walk around, look around, and on the ground,

we can see - all around - each other’s footprints,

old shoes, boots, cracked Styrofoam containers,

and 1,999 other reminders that we are here.

I don't think anyone left their boots on the moon,

but we certainly left our footprints and a flag

telling all around the world, “We were here!”

Walk around, look around, and on the ground

we can see all around each other’s footprints,

shoes and socks, our DNA, our fingerprints,

and  9,999 other things telling everyone we

are here. We look up at the moon. It’s silver

light - it’s night time bright - but unlike earth it's

dead, so we better keep healthy our down here. 

© Andy Costello, Reflections  2017

October 11,  2017

GOING,  GOING,  GONE 

Autumn leaves 
fade and fall ....

Skin wrinkles ....

The sun rises ....

The sun sets ....

Everything seems easy

till we have to do it ....

We’re handed the menu ....
We enjoy the meal and the company ....

We’re handed the bill ....

Life: we fall in love;

we have a family;

they leave to start a family;

my spouse dies.

Life:  cribs till caskets 
and the great in between ....

Life: chocolate milk shakes ....

I love those pulling slurps
and then the long slide into God,
please God.

© Andy Costello, Reflections  2017

THE BOOK OF JONAH

INTRODUCTION

This will be an information homily - simply ten thoughts  and  comments about “The Book of Jonah.”

I’m doing this because today’s first reading for this  27th Tuesday in Ordinary Time - is from the Book of Jonah.  Today’s gospel is a story about Martha and Mary - but I’ll save that  for some other day.

SO 10 COMMENTS ABOUT THE BOOK OF JONAH

First: We get 5 readings from Jonah in our Lectionary. That’s this red book that contains the  Mass readings.  Every other year we get these 3 readings we have this week. Then we get a reading from Jonah in Lent and another one on the 3^rd  Sunday in Year  B. That’s it. But that’s not bad for a short document - only 4 chapters in the Jewish Bible

Second: The one thing everyone remembers and wonders about the Book of Jonah  is that he’s tossed into the sea - is swallowed by a big fish and then spends 3 days in the belly of that big fish. It’s quite a fish story.  Do we take that literally? Artists love to picture this scene. Writers on the Bible often bring up the question of Jonah being in the belly of the beast.

Third: This document has various literary forms in it - which makes it quite unique. It is satire.  It has legends. It can be seen as a parable. It has some wisdom literature in it.  It’s a prophetic book - Jonah is a preacher and a prophet. It has some history and facts: there was a city named Nineveh.  So it’s mixed bag - a little of this and a little of that in a little space.

Fourth: He preaches not to Israel - but to the Assyrians. That’s different. He’s a universalist  - different from most of the other prophets - who preach mainly to and at Israel. Jonah doesn’t seem concerned about these foreigners - but God does.

Fifth: He is not the greatest of the prophets. In fact a book written about him is entitled, ‘The Reluctant Prophet.” When God calls him to go this way, he gets on a boat and goes the other way.

Sixth: He is the most successful of the prophets - the Ninevites in 6 figures - repent - yet in reality history tells us that Nineveh was badly destroyed as a city.

Seventh: As prophet he appears as a very mixed up prophet. He runs away from God. He yells at God - yet in the long run - after the everything - he still sticks with God.

Eight: It’s date varies. It writes about the 8^th  century B.C. - but it was probably written in the 5th  century B.C.

Ninth: His stories remain and work their way into Christian scriptures - in wonderings about Jesus - and his resurrection. I think it was the 3 days in the belly of the whale or big fish and the 3 days in the grave - that is the obvious connection

Tenth: It stresses the mercy and forgiveness of God - much more than the justice of God - with people being punished.

CONCLUSION

I don’t know how many people I’ve heard say, “I have to read the Bible.”  I like to suggest, “Think just one book at a time.” 

Think the Book of Jonah and with these 10 thoughts in mind, come up with your thoughts and comments about the Book of Jonah - and type into Google, “Book of Jonah” for further observations.