GENESIS 8: 21:  ”THE DESIRES OF THE HUMAN HEART ARE EVIL FROM THE START….”

 

The title of my homily is, Genesis 8:21: “The Desires of the Human Heart Are Evil From The Start….”

 

It’s a sentence here in the 8^th chapter of the book of Genesis 8:21.

 

The Jerusalem Bible translates the Hebrew into English this way, ”Because  his heart contrives evil from his infancy,”

 

The New Interpreter’s Bible is close to that, “The inclination of the human heart is evil from youth.”

 

Each of us ought to look at that message – and be challenged by it.

 

The Bible starts off with Creation and then Adam and Eve and all is good – but soon Adam and Eve eat the forbidden fruit – they hide from God – Cain kills Abel and on and on and on – evil, jealousy, lust, wars, murders, the history  of the world.

 

We can pick up the New York Post or The Daily News – turn on the evening news and get the Bible in an earlier edition.

 

We know our heart. We know our growing up years. We know the story of our sins and our crimes.

 

The Bible tells our story – chapter and verse.

 

Genesis 8:21: The Desires of the Human Heart Are Evil From The Start….”

 

That’s the message of today’s first reading from Genesis and now the Gospel message.

 

How blessed we are to have Christ arriving at our village and helping us to see we are the Blind Man.  Jesus  takes us by the hand – takes us outside the village – puts his spit on our eyes.

 

He asks us what we see.  He asks us what we see.

 

We say everyone looks like walking trees .

 

He puts his hands on us again and restores our sight.

 

Once more Jesus asks us,  “Do you see anything.

We do. He heals us. And he sends us on our way -  a healed us, a new us.

 

 

 February 15, 2023

IF

 

If beds could talk ….

If kitchen tables could talk ….

If cars could talk ….

If church benches could talk ….

If confessionals could talk …..

If skin could talk ….

If human beings would talk,

then – then - what would they say?

What would they reveal?

We know the answer:

The real stories  of the years ….

 

© Reflections, Andy Costello

 

 

 February 15, 2023

Quote for Today

 "I was standing on the highest mountain of them all, and round about beneath me was the whole hoop of the world. And while I stood there I saw more than I can tell and I understood more than I saw; for I was seeing in a sacred manner the shapes of all things in the spirit. and the shape of all shapes as they must live together like one being. And I saw that the sacred hoop of my people was one of many hoops that made one circle, wide as daylight and as starlight, and in the center grew one mighty flowering tree to shelter all children of one mother and father. And I saw that it was holy."

Black Elk

February 14, 2023

 

 TO LOVE ANOTHER

 

To love another is easy at first,

but as you get to know another  –

various “Uh oh’s!” appear!

This takes time -  time -  time.

There are the hesitations and the

wonderings - the choices – that arrive.

Knock, knock, knock! Sometimes a bang.

You’ll hear them on your inner door.

Sit down with me twenty years

from now and tell me what happened

after that - whether you’re still together –

whether you discovered the real big deep love.

 

© Reflections, Andy Costello

 February 14, 2023

Quote for Today

"There is a ladder, 

The ladder is always there

hanging innocently

close to the side of the schooner,"

Adrienne Rich [1929 - }

Diving Into the Wreck  [1973]

 February 13, 2023

SOUNDS

 

While I still have my hearing, I listen.

Trains – the North Jersey Coast tracks -

are only three streets away from here.

Ambulances – at least ten a day –

pass by our house – screeching:

“Move over. We need to get to

the hospital and get there right now."

We have boats going by, but they

are quiet  - out there in the ocean.

Helicopters fly by – just two a day –

up and down – along the coast.

People – still the most interesting.

Once by myself on a train – four

women were heading for a college

class reunion in New York City.

They were in four seats facing

each other – right across from me.

I had a spiral pad, two ball point pens –

and I listened and listened – jotting

down all I could get. It was better

than a newspaper or a novel. Great

sounds for an hour and a half trip -

and they had no idea I was there.

© Reflections, Andy Costello

 February 13, 2023

Quote for Today

"It is one great purpose of the Park to supply to the hundreds of thousands of tired workers, who have no opportunity to spend their summers  in the country, a specimen of God's handiwork that shall be to them, inexpensively, what a month or two in the White Mountains or the Adirondacks is at great cost, to those in easier circumstances."

Frederick Law Olmsted [1822-1903]

and Calvert  Vaux, [1824-1895] in the

Report submitted with 'Greensward' Plan, 

awarded first prize by the Board of

Commissioners of the Central Park

[April 28, 1858]