September 19, 2020

 Thought for Today

"The surest way to corrupt a youth is to instruct him to hold in higher esteem those who think alike than those who think differently.”  

 

Friedrich Nietzsche

 

WHAT EVER HAPPENED

TO SUSANNA?

The title of my homily for this 24^th Friday in Ordinary Time is, “What Ever Happened to Susanna?”

Her name appears only once in the New Testament – in Luke 8:3.  She’s here in this  short episode we heard for today’s gospel.

Joanna and Mary of Magdala – two of the three women – who were with Susanna  mentioned by name in today’s gospel – will show up again in Luke 24: 10 – but instead of Susanna – Mary the mother is named as a trio.

What ever happened to Susanna? 

There is that other Susanna in the  thirteenth chapter Book of Daniel. She’s mentioned by name 10 times.

 That Susanna might be simply a figment in the imagination of the teller of that Susanna story – but it’s a significant story.  Yet this Susanna seems real.  That’s the beauty of the gospels when we find details like the names of 3 women who travelled with Jesus.  It adds “and many others” but names are not given for them.

To me it’s like  the saying in John 6:10, “There was much grass in the place”. That seems to tell me – this happened in a specific place – and someone remembered specifically there was a  lot of grass there.

Here’s a side story – to make a point.  Mark Dorley’s father came up to me in Lima, Ohio, in December of 1999 with a question. “I heard you’re going to Israel in January. Do me a favor. Look for grass when you’re there.” He mentioned his reason for his question.  “Every time I see Israel on television – like on the evening news – it looks like the place is all dust and all desert. I wonder: Where are all these green pastures I hear about?”

That was his question.

Well, we landed in Tel Aviv and drove that evening to Tiberias where John 6:10 takes place – where there is much grass. Sure enough I saw plenty of grass up there in northern Israel – especially near the Lake.

Based on that way of thinking,  I accept that there was this woman named Susanna – who lucked out to travel with Jesus – and then get her name mentioned for posterity – in just one verse in scripture. It’s like that one verse in John: “There was much grass in that place.”

And Sister Gerri will tell us to follow her – take her into our imagination – even if  she doesn’t get into a boat with Jesus.

John Shea – a good scripture story teller – and writers like him – can take that one sentence and paint for us what it would be like to be Susanna and what it would be like to travel with Jesus. I’m sure some writers  would say this caused critics to say Jesus was breaking the traditions – traveling and working with women.

“Typical Jesus.”

“And what’s worse Jesus is also traveling with that Mary, called Magdalene, who had seven demons.”

And scripture scholars will point out that Luke likes to mention names early on who will appear later on – like Joanna and Mary Magdalen – here in today’s gospel and again in Luke 24 – at the time of the Resurrection. 

Scripture scholars – as I read last night reading up for this homily – say things like this: “Characteristically, where Luke mentions a male figure or group, he often links it with a corresponding female figure or group – for example Zechariah and Elizabeth, Mary and Joseph, Simeon and Anna, in chapter 4 the widow of Zarephath and Naaman the Syria, in chapter 7 the centurion and the widow of Nain, an in chapter 15 the shepherd and the woman with the coins. The group of women who followed Jesus are given special prominence in Luke by introducing them at this point and alluding to their role when they are introduced again in Luke 23:49 and 23:35 [cf. Luke 24:10; Acts 1:14; 13:31).

Good. Interesting stuff.  But what ever happened to Susanna?

 I guess the answer is very simple: that’s life. Men and women working together. And in the meanwhile different people drop out of the picture. – and disappear out of our life after just one meeting.

 Well, there’s always the resurrection as we hear in today’s first reading. Amen.

September 18, 2020

MIRAGE

 

In a relationship sometimes the other
is a mirage. It’s worse when both are
in a fog and are walking hand in hand
in a mirage down dark rainy streets.
 
Often it takes a storm – or a strong wind -
and the curtain  blows open and one – it’s
usually one first – sees what they were  not
seeing – and they finally see the naked self.
 

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2020

 September 18, 2020

 

Thought  for  today:

“Most of us spend our lives as if we had another one in the bank.”

 

Ben Irwin

September   17,  2020

TOLLE   ET   LEGE!

TAKE AND  READ

Here’s a book.
Even though 1,000 people read it, 
the book remains the same,
but everyone who reads it,
and they change  slightly or significantly.

reads it differently

 
And here’s another point
to reflect  upon:
“Read the book with another
or with others as a group
and, 'Voila!' the book becomes
even more different –
than it is, that is if we listen
to each other."
 

 © Andy Costello, Reflections

September 17, 2020

 

Thought for Today

 

“You have your way. I have my way.   As for the right way, the correct way, and the only way, it does not exist.”  

 

Friedrich Nietzsche

September  16,  2020

AUTHOR!  AUTHOR!

 

The audience were excited.
 
They were to hear from 3 authors on
a Sunday – in a community college auditorium.
 
The first author – a 70 year old
woman – said it took her 40 years
to write her book – and even then -
she was filled with hesitations.
 
The second author – a younger
woman said it took her – 7 weeks –
to write her book – now a best seller.
 
The third author – a middle aged guy
in a flannel shirt – said it took him –
5 years to write his book.
 
They read excerpts from their book.
They did a Q. and A. on their book.
They signed copies of their book.
They told the audience what they had
in mind for their next book.
 
Then the audience went home – and
surprise most reread two of those books –
but now from a very different perspective.
 

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2020