June 19, 2019

GIVE  GOD  THE  GLORY 

NOT  ONESELF 

The title of my homily for this Wednesday in the  11^th  Week  in Ordinary time is, “Give God the Glory, Not Oneself.”

This will be a one minute homily.

“Give God the Glory, Not Oneself.”

We’ve all seen the following while watching a baseball, football or basketball game. An athlete makes a great catch or play and raises his or her index finger to the sky - to give God the Glory.

This the message that Jesus is giving in today’s gospel - Matthew 6: 1-6, 16-18

“Give God the Glory, Not Oneself.”

I am trying to remember a scene from a novel about a Boston politician.  He went to Mass every Sunday. He would come down the main aisle - always one minute late - genuflect up front - near the 3^rd of 4^th row - reach into his pocket -  for his rosary - which would fall onto the floor - to the notice of everyone.

He wasn’t doing all this for God’s glory - but for himself.

“Give God the Glory, Not Oneself.”

That’s what Jesus is getting at in today’s gospel and we get that message.

47 seconds. Thanks for listening.

June 19, 2019

QUESTIONS?

Does Jesus prefer questions?

The gospels are loaded with them:

Where do you stay?

But who do you say, I am?

Who is my mother

and who are my brothers?

Do you love me?

What were you arguing about?

Which of the two sons did his Father’s will?

Does Jesus prefers questions?

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2019

June 19, 2019

Thought for today:

“Photography takes an instant out of time, altering life  by  holding it still.” 

Dorothea Lange

June 18, 2019

CONSCIOUS

I was in a nursing home

21 days before I realized

that Tim - this other guy  -

was just staring - yet  he

was conscious of everything -

but he couldn’t talk. He

couldn’t communicate.

It was then I realized

he was all eyes - totally

aware and I missed out

on 21 days of life with him,

but today things changed.

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2019

June 18, 2019

Thought for today: 

“Even in our sleep pain that cannot forget falls drop by drop upon the heart, and in our own despair, against our will, comes wisdom to us by the awful grace of God.” 

Aeschylus.  

Quoted by David Brooks 

in an New York Times, op. ed. article, 

“Harvard’s False Path to Wisdom,” 

page A. 21, Tuesday June 18, 2019

June 17, 2019

CAN   DO

Can can -

that ought to be our tune -

not can’t can’t!

For life ….

For all people ….

For the little people,

for the old people,

for all people….

To bring the best out

of each other ….

To clap for each other

To rejoice in what each

of us can do.

Surprise!   Can! Can!

  

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2019

June 17, 2019

Thought for today: 

“Moral formation is not like learning math. It’s more cumulative; it’s inverse.  In a sin-drenched world it’s precisely through the sin and ensuing repentance that moral formation happens.  That’s why we try not to judge people by what they did in their worst moment, but by how they respond to their worse moment.  That’s why we are forgiving of 15-year-olds, because they haven’t disgraced themselves enough to have earned maturity.”  

David Brooks, 

New York Times, 

June 18, 2019, 

“Harvard’s False Path to Wisdom,” 

A. 21, Tuesday, June 18, 2019