July 2, 2018 

A  GRAIN  OF  SALT 

A couple of grains of salt 

were talking - wondering 

where they would end up. 

Me, I ended up on a big pretzel - 

a German one - not bad, but 

the licker really didn't taste me. 

Ah, that’s life, at least I 

didn’t end up being thrown 

out and trampled under foot. 

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2018

Cf. Matthew 5: 13

SOME TOUGH WORDS FOR TODAY

 INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this 13^th  Monday in Ordinary Time is, “Some Tough Words for Today.”

Both our readings have some tough words and challenges.

I’m sure the listeners - to Amos from 780 -745 B.C.  and to Jesus - around the year 33 - listened with “Uh Oh!”  feelings.

AMOS

Amos spoke out about how people were treating people.  People were selling people for silver or a pair of sandals. The weak and the lowly were trampled and forced out of the way.

That comment triggered something a priest I had worked with in Wisconsin once told  me. He was working in Nigeria. The army would come down busy streets in jeeps and trucks. The military with hard black hoses would hit people who were in their way on both sides of the road.

Amos said fathers and sons would go to the same prostitute. People would curse each other using God’s name. People would be drinking in God’s house.

Prophets would preach politics.

If Amos was around today - and preached what he was preaching  - there would be uproar. There would be screams to keep politics out of religion. There would be letters to the Bishop and to the Editor of the Local Papers.

JESUS PREACHED ABOUT SEEING MORE THAN JUST THE FLOWERS OF THE FIELD

That’s Amos. Now Jesus.

I’m sure you have heard the phrase: the hard sayings of Jesus.

In today’s gospel Jesus seems hard on people by saying “Let the dead bury their dead.”

Jesus cried when Lazarus died.

But Jesus also knew that some folks get caught up in death - and can’t rise to new life.

Death and burials in the time of Jesus were  much, much more difficult than our times.

Listen to these statistics. I found the following quote on page 211 of Bruce Malina and Richard Rohrbaug’s book, Social-Science Commentary on the Synoptic Gospels.

In the Mediterranean basin in Jesus time, “By the mid-teens 60 % would have died, by the mid-twenties 75 %, and 90 % by the mid-forties. Perhaps 3 percent  reached their sixties.”

I visited Israel in the year 2000. As a result, I picture much of the land when I read or hear the Bible - when it talks about Palestine.  So too I remember that text I quoted from Bruce Malina and Richard Rohrbaug’s book.

It would be difficult to picture this, but when Jesus was looking at people like I’m looking at you today, most of the crowd was young and most had experienced a lot of deaths.

Jesus must have seen a lot of people down in the dumps with their deaths.

Here he is telling people bury your dead and move on.

When people tell me about keeping ashes in their house - I just listen.  I am aware that some people have heard some priest say, “You’re not allowed to do that.”

I think they have to learn to bury their dead and move on - but I keep my mouth shut. I believe people have to learn some things by experience.

I remember our provincial saying to me when I was the priest at my mother’s funeral, “I don’t know how you could do your mother’s funeral!” That surprised me. I said nothing. But I thought. “Of course I’m doing it - even though she was killed in a hit and run accident. This is what one does and one moves on.”

Of course we mourn and cry, but we move on.  We don’t stay in locked upper rooms - like when Jesus was arrested and killed - but Jesus rises from the dead - comes through our walls - says “Peace” and “Go!” and “Move it.”

CONCLUSION

The title of my homily for today is, “Some Tough Words for Today.”

I find them quite challenging. How about you?

IS  EVERYBODY  HAPPY?

July 2, 2018

Thought for today: 

“The life of every man  is  a diary in which he means to write one story, and writes another, and his humblest hour is when he compares the volume as it is with what he vowed to make it.” 

James M. Barrie

IRRITABLE  BRAIN  DISORDER

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this 13^th Sunday in Ordinary Time [B]  is, “Irritable Brain Disorder.”

It’s summer - and in the days before air conditioners - sermons were often dropped on Sundays - during the summer. 

If I’m right - that’s not an issue anymore. 

In fact, if I’m hearing correctly, folks expect a sermon - or homily - not too long - but something to chew on - to think about - and talk about in the car on the way home - as part of the Sunday liturgy.

I also think - folks sometimes expect something - from the pulpit about things happening out there - especially recent  big things.

PROCEED WITH CAUTION

At that I hear three words: “Proceed with Caution.”

I’d add: “Proceed with thought.”

Proceed with the realization that everyone has realizations about motives - what’s going on - what they are reading - what their news sources are.

IRRITABLE

I’m picking up that people are irritable - right now - more than usual.

And it’s not just the heat - the summer heat.

The irritation that probably triggered my thoughts for today - hit  me on Friday and Saturday.  People were irritated that no clergy from St. Mary’s were at the gatherings - the services - for those who were killed here in Annapolis - at 888 Bestgate - the offices of our newspaper: The Capital - now the Capital Gazette.

We got some calls. “How come there were no clergy  at the Mall on Friday evening near the Pottery Barn?”

Father Charlie on Friday evening was  there. Then 5 priests were down near the water where the so called “religious service” was being held. Father Ronnie Bonneau was at the mike for part of that service.

Yet people complained. I had a wedding practice at 6 to 6:45 here at St. Mary’s and then I went down to Kallas for a wake - for one our parishioners from 7:15 - to 8:05  - so I was glad our priests were invited and were there.

Complaints - like sandpaper - can rub my brain the wrong way - some times.

Next - ever since news about this shooting happened - I was listening - like everyone else - for motive.

That’s another place where the “irritable” hit me.

This guy seemed irritated - irritated for years now - as reporters are speculating - in trying to discover motive.

Next I began wondering - if there is a lot more irritation - going on in our world - right now.  More than usual….

Irritation about immigration - especially the children and family separations .  Irritation about politics. Irritation about taking sides. Liberal - Conservatives - Republicans - Democrats - Independents - Socialists - Right - Left - Abortion - Pro Life - Pro Choice - Pro TV Channels.

Turn on the news and one hears about demonstrations - lots of demonstrations.

So once again the question or the wondering: Are the irritations more than usual?

PULPIT

My position is that words from the pulpit can irritate folks - can help folks - or have no impact on folks.

I also hope that - out of another’s mouth preaching - triggers inner brain preaching - of listeners.

Yet I try to be aware of what cards I’m playing  - knowing that sometimes if you say something - it irritates some folks - and if you say nothing - you irritate some folks.

What is the role of the preacher: to challenge, to soothe, to calm, to get folks to step back, to get folks to step forward, to get crucified, to rise.

TITLE: IRRITABLE BRAIN DISORDER

The title of my homily is, Irritable Brain Disorder. I made that up last night as I was working on this homily.

We’ve all heard of Irritable Bowel Syndrome - ugh - and that can last for years.

This morning I got the thought: I wonder if there is such a thing as Irritable Brain Disorder.

Surprise I discovered there is such a thing called Irritable Brain Syndrome.

Surprise one of the big specialists on this is a Doctor Bendover, OD, MS, PhD. He says it’s an addiction and it’s described as follows: “the relentless repeating, pulling, or downing of a substance or any activity that becomes so compulsive it ultimately interferes with everyday life.” 

That statement was an eye-opener.

Are some  people irritable because they constantly rub into their eyes and brains the  same TV programs - keep rubbing into their brain - the same complaints about another or their past or their mistakes or their jobs or their children or their parents or their neighbors  - on and on and on and on and on.  

Negativities - sins - can be like drones - sin drones - flying around  inside our brain all the time - and they become irritable - itchy - witchy - needing healing and conversion. Picky. Picky. Picky. Scratch. Scrath. Scratch.

Now that has to be what all of us want help with and a sermon on - now and then.

TODAY’S READINGS

A homily is supposed to be reflections coming out of the scripture readings.

Today’s first reading from Wisdom begins, “God did not make death, not does he rejoice in the destruction of the living.”

Of course not…. Yet death is part of life.  Yet people become irritable because of death - the death of loved ones and the reality of our death.

I was talking with a lady at the wake I was at on Friday evening. The lady who had died, had a lot of years of cancer, but she dealt with it  well. Then this lady mentioned an aunt who was never in the hospital her whole life. She didn’t have kids. She went into the hospital in her 90’s and she became quite irritable. I blurted out, “Uh oh, I’m 78 and I’ve never been in the hospital overnight in my life. Uh oh!”

Obvious question: What makes us irritable?

Today’s first reading ends with an  enigmatic comment: “But by the envy of the devil, death entered the world, and they who belong to his company experience it.

Is envy the or a key cause of irritability?

Today’s second reading from 2^nd Corinthians urges us to excel in being gracious.  Learn how to empty ourselves of our feelings of richness and become poor to give of our abundance to those who need our gifts and richness.

Today’s gospel presents the story of two people whom Jesus heals.

Pick one. Be like the young girl whom everyone thinks is dead - and let Jesus heal us - so we can start dancing again. Or be like the lady in the crowd who suffered from blood problems - probably women’s problems - for 12 years - and reach out and touch the garments of Christ - to be healed of any of our human problems - especially those that make us irritable.

When you walk up the aisle today to receive communion - reach out and receive Christ - touch him - let Christ touch and heal you. Let Christ come to you.

Hear Jesus say in Aramaic, his native language, “Talitha koum” - which means, “Little girl, I say to you, arise!”

CONCLUSION

The title of my homily is, “Irritable Brain Disorder.”

The message: Stop being a pain in the brain. Smile.

July 1, 2018

BILLBOARD

A high school put up an electronic billboard.

Hey - it was right on a main intersection.

Kids were asked to come up with messages -

one a day - and the whole school voted on it.

One day - they picked my message: “Everyone

is a billboard. What am I saying with my life?”

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2018

July 1, 2018

Thought for today: 

“Life consists not in holding good cards but in playing  those you hold well.”  

Josh Billings