October  2, 2019 

Thought for today: 

“One of the longest journeys in the world is the journey from Brooklyn to Manhattan - or at least from certain neighborhoods in Brooklyn to certain parts of Manhattan.”  

Norman Podhoretz in Making It, 

by Norman Poderhoretz [April 11, 2017] - 

at the beginning of the book.

October 1, 2019

SACROSANCT

If I hesitate when someone is labeled “sacred” -

how much more would I pause when some

particular person might be  called “sacrosanct”? 

Oooh! Why would we do that to someone or

even something - labeling or describing them

as “sacred” or “a sacrament” or “sacrosanct”?

We canonize people after they die - and that’s

a long process - and books about saints now

list moments like doubts, struggles, and fears.

Better would it be to see and to treat everyone

and everything as good as the God of Genesis

describes all that He has created. We are good.

Moreover, the second meaning of “sacrosanct” 

is a sort of put down - a saccharin - sugar coated

holiness - different than when Christ walked with us.

Being good, being sacred, becoming a saint

has to do with being a servant, a savior, a person

who shows us the image and likeness of God.

So two bottom lines when it comes to being sacred

would be: we are good - called to be the gift we

are; and we are called to growth towards wholeness.

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2019

October  1, 2019 

Thought for today: 

"We hand folks over to God's mercy, and show none ourselves." 

George Eliot [Marian Evans Cross] 

1819-1880, in Adam Bede, 1859, chapter 42.

September  30, 2019

I  CAN  DO   IT

I wish people didn’t go to bed hungry ….
I wish people held doors for the next person ….

I wish people stopped beeping and fingering ….

I hope people can see who’s hurting ….
I hope people listen - really listen to the other ….

I hope people mean what they say ….

I want people not to garbage our streets ….

I want people not to make so much noise ….

I want people not to not use their turn signals ….

I love it when people compliment each other ….

I love it when people are laughing together ….

I love it when people forgive each other ….

I can do it.

I can do it.

I can do it.

 © Andy Costello, Reflections 2019

September  30, 2019 - 

Thought for today: 

“Faith which does not doubt is dead faith.” 

Miguel de Unamuno, 

The Agony of Christianity, 1974.

MR.   HOLLAND'S   OPUS

If you like movies, and you have access to old movies, check out Mr. Holland's Opus.

Here are two scenes to give you a  taste of this movie.

10  TOP  MOVIES

It hit me this evening to put on my blog this question: "What are your 10 top movies?"

I've thought about top movies from time to time, so why not put that question up there or out there?

What are 10 top movies I would love to watch over and over again from time to time?

What are the 10 top movies that move me every time?

So to begin this, I'll list some of my top movies. That will step one.

Then from time to time I'll feature one of these movies - or maybe I'll come across one I hadn't thought about - and then put a scene or two from one of those 10 top  movies to trigger interest in that specific movie.

The obvious hope is that  you'll look at movies that moved you.

I have a published article somewhere about my 10 top books. 

I could do 10 top words or verbs as well.

I could do 10 top moments of my life.

I could to 10 top songs.

You'll notice at the top of this piece "Top Ten Dance Scenes in Dance Movies."  I don't know or do dance, but one can find on YouTube and Google all kinds of "Top Ten ..." this and that. So I'm not that original with my top ten idea.

So  this evening  for starters let me draw up a tentative list of movies I like and then in time list 10 top movies. 

In my next blog piece I'll do what I'm talking about for one of my ten top movies:  Mr. Holland's Opus.

Then from time to time list another top movie on a blog piece with a scene or two to trigger, "Hey take a look at this great old movie and give it a look see if possible?"

SOME OF MY TOP MOVIES

Mr. Holland's Opus

On the Waterfront

Big

It's a Wonderful Life

My Cousin Vinny

Lawrence of Arabia

Midnight Run

Waking Ned Devine

The Natural

Jesus of Nazareth by Franco  Zeffirelli [1977]

Casablanca

Shawshank Redemption

Doctor Zhivago