March 15, 2018
“What people say behind your back is your standing in the community in which you live.”
Edgar
Watson Howe, Sinner Sermons, 1926
Thursday, March 15, 2018
March 15, 2018
HIGHER MATH
The Life Cycle: Learning how to add,
more toys, candy, experiences,
education friends,
geography.
Next there is multiplying all that
till middle age -
then discovering
life also calls for subtraction -
learning how to let go.
Then there is a reality called,
“division”. Sorry:
it too happens.
It's part of every family and every life.
© Andy Costello, Reflections 2018
Wednesday, March 14, 2018
March 14, 2018
You have that March cough
again this year. Bummer!
But it tells me you're here, you're
breathing, you're continuing. Good ....
At times it seems to rip your ribs,
as you put your hands to your chest.
It seems to wince your face as well. I see
the stress and strain on your jaw and chin.
Cough .... Uh .... Cough .... Aaaah.....
Cough .... Uhhhh .... Cough .... Aaaaaah ....
COUGHING
You have that March cough
again this year. Bummer!
But it tells me you're here, you're
breathing, you're continuing. Good ....
At times it seems to rip your ribs,
as you put your hands to your chest.
It seems to wince your face as well. I see
the stress and strain on your jaw and chin.
Cough .... Uh .... Cough .... Aaaah.....
Cough .... Uhhhh .... Cough .... Aaaaaah ....
© Andy Costello, Reflections 2018
Tuesday, March 13, 2018
THE THIRD SIGN:
THE HEALING OF THE PARALYZED MAN
AT THE POOL AT BETHESDA
INTRODUCTION
The title of my homily for this 4th Tuesday in
Lent is, “The 3rd Sign: The Healing of the Paralyzed Man at The Pool at Bethesda.”
As you know John gives us 7 signs, 7 special miracles. in
his gospel.
Yesterday we had the 2nd sign, the Healing of
the Royal Official’s Son and yesterday’s gospel also mentions the first sign:
Cana, where Jesus changed water into
wine..
Today, let’s concentrate on this 3rd sign in
John: the healing of the paralyzed man at the pool of Bethesda.
38 YEARS
It’s an amazing story: the man has been ill for 38 years.
And Jesus asks him a key question: “Do you want to be
well?”
Before that question, I began wondering, “Does anyone
have a sickness or a problem that lasts for a long time - like 38 years?”
I remember hearing someone say of a relative, “She talks
too much.”
I never noticed that before - but every time after that -
I began to notice she talks too much - giving comments on every subject that
comes up.”
Is that two problems: telling or making comments about
others - and second, talking too much?
38 years is a long time.
Do we all have our lifetime patterns or problems - some
of which paralyze us at times?
Like overeating - or drinking too much.
I pick raised skin - usually on my lower arms. How long have I been doing that? Sometimes someone seeing that says, “Stop
picking!”
Wondering was I doing that in my high chair as a kid
after finishing my Cheerios.
I hear someone say of someone, “She’s been picking on her
sister all her life - especially giving her sister diets or making comments
about her behind her back - forever.”
Could someone be an alcoholic or a picker or jealous or
feel inferior for 38 years or 58 years or more
of course?
I knew a guy who was born deaf - and at 24 he got a
procedure that helped him hear various sounds - and wow did his face become
different. He had to wear a devise at
his hip and a wire in his ear - but he began to hear - and then laugh and his
face became an ongoing smile.
I heard a psychologist say once: “The earlier the
problem, the bigger problem.”
Do we all have lifetime deafness in some areas of our life?
Is the oldest, the youngest, the middle child, different
because of where they are in the family tree?
Are we different for 38 years or 68 years of life because of what was
going on in our family at a certain time of our life? Is a brother or sister different because they
had or had not the benefit of a grandfather or grandmother - and then she or he
died or moved or what have you?
Could a mistake or something someone said or how one is
treated paralyze a person for 38 years?
Can a death kill us.
CAN I BE HEALED
- UNPARALYZED?
Today’s first reading is flooded with water. Jesus said he was living water.
Could / can I be flooded, Niagara Falls washed, healed,
by the flood waters of God and begin to produce fruit on all sides of my life -
as today’s reading from Ezechiel puts
it.
SHAWSHANK
REDEMPTION
This man in today’s gospel who is sick for 38 years
experiences the ocean - the living water - of
God that day.
Something to think about today - and whenever you take a
shower or a bath or go to the ocean or a pool.
March 13, 2018
WATER
The earth is almost 80% water ….
Rain …. A morning shower ….
A drink of cold water on a hot day ….
Lake Superior …. Lake Erie ….
The Mississippi and the Hudson Rivers ….
The Aral Sea and the Salton Sea ….
Water, water. everywhere with lots
and lots of drops of water to drink ….
So why Lord, did your people spend
40 years in the dessert and why Lord
did you spend 40 days in the dessert
and why did you ask us to spend 40
days of Lent in the dessert when
we can get in the car and get ourselves
we can get in the car and get ourselves
to the water - to the bay - to the Ocean?
© Andy Costello, Reflections
2018
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