PERCEPTION

Till we realize we both can be looking 

at the same thing - while at the same 

time see differently  - we’re not going 

to be really communicating with each 

other. Solution: “How do you see this?” 

For example: How do you see the following?
A tricycle?  A cane? A kid watching a balloon
that just slipped out of her hand sailing away?
A family - three small kids and a mom and
dad - licking ice cream cones on a warm night.

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2019

October  21, 2019 

Thought for today: 

“God’s pencil has no eraser.”

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