July 22, 2018

PRIEST WALKING

I’m walking down the white vinyl

hospital corridor - walking by

person after person after person.

I give each person a “Hi” or “Morning!”

or a wave and a smile. Some smile

back. Some “Hi” back. Some scowl.

At that moment I realize - because of the

collar - I represent every priest they ever 

met. Is that why I get a smile or a scowl?

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2018

July 22, 2018 

Thought for today: 

“Search yourself  and you  shall find God.”  

Kurdish proverb

July 21,  2018

UNDERNEATH

Underneath: that’s where the mystery is.

Underneath words, gestures, actions,

from time to time I wonder why you

said what you said and did what you did.

Underneath my non-response, my pause,

I’m all hesitation because I just don’t

know what you’re about. It’s too tricky.

Underneath is better than the invisible.

Why? Well because we can look at the

underneath and possibly see something.

 Underneath: so that’s where the mystery is.

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2018

July 21, 2018

Thought for today: 

“Noise does not do any  good 

And good does not make any noise.” 

“Le bruit ne fait pas de bien

Le bien ne fait pas de bruit.”

Brigitte Bardot

July 20, 2018 

Thought for today: 

“All  sins  are  attempts  to  fill  voids.” 

“Tous les Péchés sont des tentatives pour comber des vides.” 

Simone Weil [1909-1943], 

in La Pesanteur et la grace 

(Gravity and Grace, 1948), p. 27.

July 20, 2018

SECRETS

Secrets -

sins and hurts -

on tiny pieces of paper -

are stuck between the stones

of our soul.  We pull them out

to read them every once in a while -

but most of the time we ignore

them - or push them deeper into

the skin of our soul - always

knowing - when we acknowledge

them - we can be that much more

understanding and kinder

of each other.

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2018

July 19, 2018

SILENCE

Find a place that is silent -

a corner room or a basement chair.

Then, as they say in church,

make sure all electronic devices

are turned off. Next take 10 minutes -

exactly 10 minutes -  of silence. 

Be silent.  Be still. Be quiet. 

At first devices in your mind will be talking. Acknowledge each voice. 

Then turn them off - one by one. 

Notice them as they disappear. 

Next .... Listen .... Listen ....

Then notice God will be there - 

right there, right now, now, now....

The Silent God is with you.

 © Andy Costello, Reflections 2018