Tuesday, December 17, 2019

December 17, 2019



I   AIN’T  NO  GOD


As I drive up the street.
I notice a squirrel
dash across the street.
I notice a sparrow on a white fence.

It was then, God,
that it hit me,
I’m noticing these 2
for just a spit half second.

And you God,
are looking at and are aware of
everything and everyone
for 24 – 7 – 365 – forever.

God, that’s a lot of mindaware.
That’s a lot of juggling.
That’s a lot of consciousness.
Why God, why?


© Andy Costello, Reflections 2019

December 17,  2019


Thought for today: 

“Everybody has the  right  to pronounce foreign names as he chooses.”  


Winston Churchill, 
Observer, 
Sayings of the Week, 
August 5, 1951

Monday, December 16, 2019



1947 

What was I like when I was 
7 years old?  It  was  1947.

I don’t remember singing 
or dancing or reading.

I’m sure I had football and  
plenty of baseball  in mind.

Candy and lots of sweets – 
were a definite hoped for?

So too Christmas and Spring 
and then Summer at Coney Island.

When I see old movies of kids, “I'm envious. 
My daddy didn't have a movie camera.”

Then again maybe I was spared 
and saved from what never was.

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2019



December 16, 2019 


Thought for today: 


“A good song gathers the years in.  It’s why you can sing it with such conviction 40 years after it’s been written. A good song takes on more meaning after years pass by.” 


Bruce  Springsteen

Sunday, December 15, 2019

December 15, 2019




DEAF, DUMB,  AND  BLIND

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this 3rd Sunday in Advent [A]  is,  “Deaf, Dumb and Blind.”

THE READINGS

Like you – when I come to Mass - I read the readings – say a prayer – for example, “Lord, give me a message for today – starting with myself!” – and then hopefully – something hits me  - something challenges me.

Today’s first reading – Isaiah 35: 1-6a, 10 and today’s gospel – Matthew 11:2-11  talks about the blind, the lame, the weak, the deaf, the dumb – those who can’t speak – and those with leprosy.

I narrowed it down to 3: deaf, dumb and blind – but I’m moving them to metaphors -  otherwise we might not look or start with ourselves.

We might be blind and think only think of Stevie Wonder – instead of the wonder called me – the wonder called seeing.

In other words, I can be deaf, dumb and blind to today’s  words from Isaiah and from Jesus in Matthew for today.

How many times in life have we heard someone say to us?

·      “What are you blind?”
·      “Are you  deaf?”
·      “Don’t be so dumb!”

And we have our lame excuses for our poverty. There are three more issues in today’s readings: being lame,  being poor and having bad or thick skin. But let me stick with just 3: deaf, dumb and blind.

Want to give a great Christmas present to our family, to our relationships, to our places of work:  Listen, See, and Speak Up, Communicate!

Want a great morning prayer: Go to a mirror – each morning - put our finger on your lips and ask the Lord that we  use our gift of speech today only for good, for building people up. Touch our ears and ask the Lord that we  listen well today.  Touch our eyes and ask the Lord that we see the people whom we’ll be with today – that we really see them and look them in the eye – EYE  and I -  I.

Want to look for a great Christmas gift: Find the 3 monkeys who see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil – in a statue or a T-Shirt.  If you can’t find the 3 monkeys use your bathroom mirror. Practice 5 times each morning: Hands over eyes, hands over ears, and hands over mouth.

The 3 Monkeys are ecumenical: we find them in Confucian, Buddhist and Hindi thought and if we swing around and monkey around, we can find them in Christian and Jewish thought as well.

And notice I’m pushing them in both negative and positive ways: using our mouth, our ears and our eyes for positive interaction with each other  - as well as avoiding hurting each other as well – with our look, with our hearing dirt, gossip, etc. or with our words.

CONCLUSION

Could everyone put your hands on your eyes, your ears and your lips. Amen.

December 15, 2019




SUNDAY MORNING AT THE BEACH


The ocean roars – spray and pound ….
Wave after wave after wave after wave –
keep sliding  in and onto  our beach….
Non stop – here at our water’s edge.
The sun this Sunday morning  shows distance –
boats gliding  by – out there. Cruise and Container –
Fishing and Pleasure. It’s Sunday morning –
Sabbath. It’s time to rest. It’s time to see.
It’s time to be with and at this Mass of water ….
We Shore Folks Are Alive for another day of life.
Thank You God. Thank You God. Amen. Amen.

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2019

December 15, 2019




Thought for the Day:



"The boughs of the oak are roaring inside the acorn  shell."