October 10, 2018

Thought for today: 

“I don’t want to spend the rest  of my life giving speeches.” 

Colin Powell

TWO  BY  TWO

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this 27 Tuesday in Ordinary Time is, “Two By Two.”

As you know numbers are interesting.

Ponder this: A different dynamic takes place in a car when there’s two people on a trip together compared to three or four people.

TODAY’S READINGS

Today’s readings trigger thoughts  or wonderings about numbers - especially about two’s.

The Gospel has the story of Martha and Mary.

The reading from Galatians has one of various Peter-Paul stories.

Peter is certainly very different than Paul.

One was a fisherman - and probably his only education was learning how to fish and mend nets  and Paul was a tentmaker - who probably had lots of rabbinical education and learning.

Martha and Mary clearly have very different personalities as well.

Peter and Paul had some serious differences - especially in reaching out to Gentiles. Their struggle was an early church struggle.

LOOKING AT OUR OWN LIFE

Looking at our own life what have been the two by two relationships? life.

Looking at our life who have been the buddies … close friends …. Who was our best man or maid of honor at our wedding and why?

Looking at our family - who were we closest too and is there a brother or a sister we never got close to? These are the family  questions that are more important than just the numbers.

What’s it like to be in a family of two brothers and  two sisters?

I have wonderings about favorites in families. I even ask about that - but often get, “I have no favorites.”

There are all kinds of literature and family therapy dynamics when it comes to who’s who in one’s family.

At our convocation last week in New Jersey, one night there was the option to watch a movie called, “Wonder.”  In this story there was the older teenage girl  - Via - who struggled with not being  noticed or getting any attention from her mom. She saw that once her brother - Augie - was born - a boy with serious facial issues  - that needed  lots of plastic surgery - her mom’s whole life scenario was  caring for their son.

What thoughts do only children have? What’s it like to be the only boy with three of four sisters.

What’s it like to be a twin?  

BACK TO THE BIBLE

The title of my homily is “Two by Two”.

As you know that comes from the Noah’s Ark story.

There are lots of other two by two combos in the Bible: Cain and Abel is certainly a significant story.

Isaac and Rebecca had twins and she felt them fighting in her womb. Great story telling. The twins: Esau and Jacob were very different.

Jacob has twelve sons -  I won’t go there - that’s a whole different story.

Joseph gets to Egypt and time moves on and then there are the 2 brothers Moses and Aaron.

More family dynamics.

Jesus liked to have brothers in his stories.

Everyone knows his story about a man had 2 sons. One becomes prodigal and hits bottom in a far country and comes home. He rehearses his speech that he’s willing to just becoming a servant. I need food. I need a place. The father welcomes him home - but the older brother has no welcome home in his heart or mind and won’t forgive his brother.

Then there is the story about the brother who says to his dad when asked to do a job - “Yes, no problem, I’ll do it” - and then he doesn’t do it. The other brother says, “No way”  and then has second thoughts and does what his father wants.

CONCLUSION

The title of my homily is, “Two by Two.”

I suggested thinking about our own family dynamics and figure out what you learned in your family setting. Has it been a good learning experience?

Hopefully, brothers and sisters live long enough to  end up seeing each often enough to compare thoughts about one’s family. Sometimes they become the best of friends and help each other figure out what mom and dad were like and what it was like growing up.

Can’t you picture Martha and Mary - and maybe Lazarus - sitting around in their old age - talking about their idiosyncrasies and funny stuff about their mannerisms and how Jesus played his favorites. Can you picture Mary serving Martha and saying jokingly, “You have chosen the best part”?

October 9, 2018

PSALM  173

Praise the Lord for water.

Rain from the sky,

mist, dew, bottled water.

Sprinklers, sinks, faucets,

cold restaurant glasses of water.

Lakes, rivers, reservoirs,

harbors, piers, bridges over water.

Home, playground, for eels, sharks
whales, salmon, and billions more.

Praise the Lord for water, for the

oceans that make up most the earth.

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2018

October 9, 2018 

Thought for today: 

“But just as they did in Philadelphia when they were writing the constitution, sooner or later, you've got to compromise. You've got to start making the compromises that arrive at a consensus and move the country forward.”  

Colin Powell

October 8, 2018

WHAT  TO  DO

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this 27 Monday in Ordinary Time  is, “What To Do?”

I just had a homily at 10:30 of a young woman who died at the age of 27.

The title of my homily for that Mass was, “What to Say?”

I spoke about sometimes we don’t know what to say - especially when someone dies when they are quite young.

So I spoke about that. Sometimes showing up says a lot more than saying something.

After that Mass I sat here and asked myself, “What To Say” - coming out of today’s readings.

TODAY’S READINGS: WHAT TO PREACH

The first reading talks about preaching and following the gospel handed down to us.

Today’s gospel is from Luke.  It’s the story of the Good Samaritan.

One of the gifts of Luke is his ability to sum up the whole gospel in just one story - especially a parable.

Today it’s the Parable of the Good Samaritan.

So the first answer to the “What to do” question is what the scholar of the Law says to Jesus, “You shall love the Lord, your god, with all your heart, with all your being, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.”

Jesus says, “Do this and you will live.”

Then Luke gives the  great message - of naming whom our neighbor is.

Jesus breaks all the boundaries that were part of Jewish village life as well as Israel’s life. It was limited to Jews.

Jess says that neighbors are not just our family and our tribe or class.

Neighbors are not just the person next door to us.

Our neighbor is any person on the planet who needs our help.

I don’t know about you, but I am moved every time I see on TV - people from all over the world - who show up in Haiti or Indonesia - when there is a hurricane or tsunami or earthquake. They are from Germany or Tokyo or Chicago or Maryland.

Or they collected $18 million Euros or Dollars for people needing help.

Who is my neighbor?

It’s the person who needs a dollar or a hamburger or a Hello or any form of Help.

It’s the person  hurting anywhere and everywhere  - in our family, in our groups, in our world.

The gospel message is: Help them. Be there for them.

CONCLUSION

The title  of my homily was: What To Do.

What to do: love, give, stop, be with, hug, hold, care, visit, share.

What would it be like to come up with a hat that says today’s gospel  in a short slogan? How about, “Help the hurting today.”  Or “Be the Good Samaritan.”

October 8, 2018

PSALM 189

Praise the Lord,

you crashing waves -

as well as you slow lapping -

sliding into the shore  waves.

You ocean to my right,

you ocean to my left,

you ocean right in front of me.

Praise the Lord,

you sand I’m standing on,

you sand surrounding me,

you beaches of the earth,

praise the Lord.

Praise the Lord,

you sky above, you gulls,

gliding, sliding, riding, surfing

the cool currents of the air.

Praise the Lord,

you sand pipers, you joggers,

you walkers, moving along

on the edge of the oceans

and the waters of the world. Amen.

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2018

October 8, 2018 

Thought for today: 

“An ugly truth  is  better than a beautiful lie.” 

Paul Redmond on BBC, 

Hardtalk, Oct. 7, 2018