March 1st, 2018

March 1, 2018 

Thought for today: 

"Once I realized that Christianity is not a creed and that faith is more a matter of embodiment than of axioms, things changed." 

The Future of Faith by Harvey Cox

February 28, 2017

EVERY TIME, WELL SOMETIMES

Sometimes we're taking it easy -
like two cop cars just talking -
or two old boats just relaxing -
that is till a big noise comes into
the room roaring at us. Life has
the surprise of interruptions and 
sometimes the scream, "Come on 
get moving!" I rather be an old red 
or white rowboat - just sitting there 
enjoying the calm of the river than be 
a big bully motor boat filling the room.

© Andy Costello, Reflections, 2018

February 28, 2018

Black History Month Thought for today: 

"There will always be men struggling to change, and there will always be those who are controlled by the past." 

Ernest J. Gaines

February 27, 2018

 

SO THAT'S WHAT WE DO

Flowers fade,

so we give diamonds.

People die,

so we have gravestones.

We don't listen,

so the other screams.

We can't control each other,

so we pick our skin and drink our gin.

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2018

February 27, 2018

February 27, 2018 

Black History Month Thought for today: 


“Avoid having your ego so close to your opinion that when you position falls, your ego goes with it.”  

General Colin Powell

February 26, 2018

JUDGING:

THE SECOND MOMENT

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this 2^nd Monday in Lent is, “Judging: The Second Moment.”

TODAY’S GOSPEL

Today’s gospel triggers thoughts about judging.

That’s an issue we worry about at times. It’s a feeling  of shame when we mis-judged or judged another human being.

When preparing for confession, we think and worry about sins of judging others.

We know it’s none of our business, yet we judge others - and we confess doing just that.

AS TIME GOES ON WE GATHER NUANCES ABOUT JUDGING

As time goes on,  hopefully we gather nuances and thoughts and  understanding about judging others.

Let me offer a few that I have come up with. I mention them so that you will do some soul and mind searching on how you deal with figuring out people.

The first learning I got about judging is from the Talmud.

It says, “Teach thy tongue to say I do not know.”

I like to push using the rosary for more than Hail Mary’s.

Say 59 times - using the beads, “Teach thy tongue to say, ‘I do not know.’”

I’ve said that at least 6,567 times on my beads, “Teach thy tongue to say, ‘I do not know.’”

Do that and when judging another you’ll find yourself saying in loud, “Teach thy tongue to say, ‘I do not know.’”

Another saying is from Father Pat Lynch who used to be stationed here. I heard him preach once about being careful when judging the motives of others. He said, using his fingers as if they were walking on the wood of the pulpit, “Nobody has ever seen a motive walking down the street.” 

I like that.  We forget most homilies. But  I have never forgot that saying.

So say - once more - using your beads, “Nobody has ever seen a motive walking down the street.” Say a rosary full of that comment 59 times and you’ll find yourself  saying that to yourself when judging another.”

The next learning I got in life about judging others I learned from Carl Jung. It’s in his theory of  Personality Types.  He describes some people as “Judging Types”.  The judger type person judges others and situations automatically. It’s normal for them to judge.

Listen to people.  Some say about others behavior,  “Well that was stupid.”

That’s a judgment. I usually say, “It’s interesting.”

My trick would be to look at the judgment  we make about others and say things like, “Interesting” - or “I don’t know” or “”You never know.”

So if some people judge automatically, the trick is the second thought after that initial judgment. 

That’s where the title of this homily comes from: “Judging: the Second Moment.”

So if we tend to judge others automatically, if we find ourselves saying, “Now that was dumb.”  Or “That outfit is ugly.”  Then pause and stop judging. This is where morality comes into the picture. This is where sin can be. It’s there  when we take that second moment to think about what we thinking about this other person.  It’s after the first thought - the automatic judgment - and we say, “I don’t know.”  Or I don’t know so and so’s motive.

So shutting up is the key. So stepping back is the trick. So realizing we have time to hesitate is the secret.

We have a choice here.

TODAY’S GOSPEL

Now let’s jump to today’s gospel.

Jesus says,  Stop judging!

Jesus says “Be merciful.”

Jesus says, “Forgive.”

Then when we meet Jesus at judgment time we can say, “Hey I thought you said not to judge, so please don’t judge me.”

Or you said “Show mercy. So show me lots of mercy.”

Or continuing with today’s gospel, be like the merchant in the market place who fills the robe of his customer with lots and lots of flour and then some and then some more after that.  

Then the person will walk home from the market place with a great smile on her or his face that day.

“Wow did I get a good deal today.”

And lastly, Jesus talks about measuring rulers or scales.  Have an enormous ruler for mercy and forgiveness and get rid of the measuring rod for judging.

February 26, 2017

BLINDSIGHT

"Oh, I see."

"Sometimes."

"It all depends...."

"But most of the time I miss the person at my door."

"Or I see - but sometimes I'm narrow blinded."

"I guess I don't see what's really happening."

"God, I can be so blind - especially when I judge."

"Lord, that I might see."

"... even if it takes years. It's called 'Blindsight.'"

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2108