October 20, 2019

GOING  TO  CONFESSION

I sometimes hear people po po

going to confession. When I hear

this complaint or comment,

I keep quiet. I listen to them.

I think about what they are saying.

They usually say in the mix of

their words that they can go

directly to God. Good. Great.

Go for it. But when they say,

"It’s crazy", it’s  then I might  say,

“I’ve been ordained a priest

and have been hearing people’s

confessions for 55 years now

and I’ve heard the, “PHEW!” sound

enough times to say, “I disagree

with your appraisal.” Then I might

add, “You’re like people who say

there is no God to people who

have tasted God."  "Oh you don't

believe in God, either." Oh.

A suggestion: think outside 

the box before going into it. 

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2019

October  20, 2019 

Thought for today: 

“There is no such thing on earth as an uninteresting subject;  the only thing that can exist is an uninterested person.”  

G. K. Chesterton, Heretics, 1905

October  19. 2019

QUALIFIED

We’re all not qualified to take a

car apart - or to do brain surgery -

or to represent a person in a court

of law - or to do plumbing - but we

can spot honesty - or be kind to

one another - or give a glass of

cold water to a thirsty person on

a hot day or to give someone a cup

of hot tea or warm chocolate on a cold

day. We don’t need a Ph. D. for kindness

or a high school diploma for niceness.

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2019

ACKNOWLEDGING CHRIST

 INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this 28^th Saturday in Ordinary Time is, “Acknowledging Christ.”

ACKNOWLEDGING

We all know what it is to be acknowledged - to be recognized - to be thanked - to be welcomed to a get together -  or what have you.

We all know that MC’s have the job at banquets to point out who is present - who is responsible for organizing, contacting, putting together a dinner or what have you.

We all have been in settings when someone at the microphone uses the word “acknowledge” - when she or he says, “I want to acknowledge the great grandmother  - of the bride.  She hit  105 last week.”

We thank people who have gifted us - helped us - made our education possible.

TODAY’S GOSPEL

Today’s gospel from Luke 12: 8-12 has Jesus saying, “If you acknowledge me before others, the Son of Man will acknowledge you before  the angels of God.”

It’s definitely a “quid pro quo” - as well as it’s opposite. “If you deny me, I’ll deny you.”

Scary.

A message I got out of this is to take a moment each day to acknowledge Jesus as Lord and God - the one who gifts me with life each moment.

We do that at Daily Mass.  We can do that at daily prayer.

A message that hit me is to  think about that moment at public events when someone is acknowledged. Think about - reflect about - the human behavior of acknowledging.

To pray is to acknowledge Jesus.

To pray is to acknowledge God as  Father.

To pray is to acknowledge the Holy Spirit.

We heard this last acknowledgement about the Holy Spirit  clearly in the gospel for today. The spirit - RUAH - in Hebrew - PNEUMA - in Greek -BREATH - in English is a message we hear about in the beginning of the Bible - Genesis.  There’s a moment there when God took and formed clay and then God  breathed air, breath, the spirit, RUAH, into that first person.

That was a first moment.  I like to see  God  with us in every breath of our life. I am having breathing problems this past year - so I’m well aware of my breath. I acknowledge to God, I need help. Keep me breathing

We see athletes acknowledging God  publically all the time,  They point their index finger or all their fingers or their hand to God.  

What a great morning prayer: to acknowledge God in thanksgiving every morning.

What a great night prayer: to acknowledge God in thanksgiving every night for the day.

CONCLUSION: TODAY

Today we celebrate the life of St. Paul of the Cross who acknowledged Jesus with his life and his religious congregation the Passionists.

Today we celebrate the lives of the North American Martyrs, Saint Isaac Jogues, John de Brebeuf and their companions who went to the Native Americans to tell them about Jesus and how he can better our lives, our attitudes, our work, our families, our lives.

Let’s all do that today.

October  19, 2019 

Thought for today: 

“Your face is your passport.” 

Someone

October  18, 2019 

PIÈCE   DE   RÉSISTANCE 

Sometimes when we feel put down,

when our A Game is not happening,

we hope our smarts triggers a pièce  

de  résistance - which covers over

our feelings of being small, stupid

and of no consequence - but then

again - sometimes we just sit back and

let others rise and shine and give God or

themselves the glory - knowing our name  

is ballpoint pen inked in God’s Hand or

at least we feel good about ourselves

for being able to say something in 
French.  "C'est sensationnel!"  Wow! 

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2019

THE   GOSPEL  OF   LUKE: 

FIVE   COMMENTS 

Here are five  comments about the Gospel of Luke on his feast day.

It’s the longest of the four gospels:  19,482 words - and then add The Acts of the Apostles - another 18,450 words. I add Acts because it’s often attributed to Luke. Now that’s a lot of words from Luke in the New Testament.

Matthew has more chapters - 28 -  than Luke -  who has  24.  However, the chapters in Luke are longer.   Matthew has 18,345 words. That’s 1,037 words  less than Luke.   Mark is 16 chapters  and the shortest of the gospels - 11,304 words. John has 21 chapters and 15,635 words.  Obvious those numbers depend on the translation and the language of the text in hand.

So that is one point: Luke is the longest of the gospels and then add The Acts of the Apostles which many credit Luke as the author of.

Second point: scholars  stress the Gentiles - non Jews - are the target audience for Luke. Scholars - not all - many see Luke as a Gentile - perhaps from Syria. Suggestion: just read Luke and compare it to Matthew. You  should come up with the same conclusion about Luke’s audience - being non-Jews. Of course while reading Luke notice his concern for the poor - and judge whether he’s heavier than Matthew and Mark with this.

Point Three: Luke is good with geography and doesn’t make too many mistakes with mention of places in his gospel as well as in The Acts of the Apostle.

Fourth Point: Luke is one of the synoptics - the 3 Gospels being seen as following a similar pattern.  I read a commentator  saying Luke might have had the outline Matthew had for his gospel which we no longer have. However Luke has additional  stories and stuff - for example, the Emmaus story and the Infancy Narrative especially the  Mary stories. Then there are the unique parables of the Prodigal Son, and Good Samaritan etc.

Fifth and Last Point:  Luke is the most polished writers of the gospels. As you know the Sunday Gospels run on 3 year cycle: Matthew, then Mark, then Luke.  You listen. Which of the 3 are you most at home with and you feel is speaking your language? As they say on the weekend retreats here - Luke has the reader eating with Jesus - going to eat with Jesus or leaving a meal with Jesus.  Eat Luke up! Digest Luke. Let him become you.

This document is 426 words.

[Picture on top: Book of Kells, Folio 27v, Luke is the calf with wings.]