August 11, 2023
THE CAKE
The cake means
there is a cake maker.
So what's the story
with Mount Everest,
the Grand Canyon
Niagara Falls
and the Redwood Forests?
Did God design these
or did God let them happen,
evolve, become themselves,
in time - through growth and upheaval?
© Reflections, Andy Costello
(C) Andy Costello, Reflections
August 10, 2023 = Feast of St. Lawrence
LISTEN
The title of my homily is, “Listen.”
Just one word: “Listen.”
You heard a lot of things these three days: “What did you
hear?”
RESOLUTION
At the end of prayer, at the end of a retreat, St.
Alphonsus said the key step is to make a
resolution.
Sometime in the time of these 3 days, you got the thought,
“When I get home I’m going to….”
That’s a resolution.
It’s what we do at the end of a year – before a New Year.
We make New Year’s resolutions. And they last a few days – at least –
hopefully. It’s also what people do in prayer. It’s what people do on retreats
- especially – near the end of a retreat.
Father Ed gave us 3 questions yesterday morning in his
homily,
I’m giving one question: What is one resolution you have
made?
If you’re not sure – yet – here’s one: Listen.
Go home and listen.
Go home and listen to the stories of the people in your
life.
Little kids: what happened in school today? Or at the park?
Or I saw you playing Monopoly or Parchesi or Shahai Rummy. Who won? What was
the best moment you had?
Or spouse – living or dead? Listen to them.
Any nursing homes near by – did you ever see all those
people by the elevators – down in the lobby near the front door? Who listens to
them? Who asks them questions?
BILLY – THE CONNOLLY BOYS
MY DAD – PITTSBURGH
WE’RE ALL STORY TELLERS = TOBYHANNA FLOWERS
PLUMBER = GETTING YOU MONEY
LISTENING – GOSPEL – SHUT UP – DIE TO SELF – LISTEN
BEFORE FALLING ASLEEP – SOMEONE LISTENED TO ME TODAY – IT
WAS ME
GOD IS THE GREAT LISTENER
August 10, 2023
ANOTHER SURPRISE
The other is other than you think they are.
You have to take time - you have to listen -
you have to be with another to find out who
they really are - and even then there is so much
more to discover. It's called mystery - the mystery
of God - and time - the history of another person.
© Reflections, Andy Costello
