August 24, 2023
Quote for Today
"Romance fails us and so do friendships, but the relationship of parent and child, less noisy than all the others, remains indelible and indestructible, the strongest relationship on earth."
Theodor Reik (2002)
Love and Lust: On the
Psychoanalysis of
Romantic and Sexual
Emotions, p. 166
Transaction Publishers
Homily - August 23, 2023
IF YOU
WERE A TREE,
WHAT
KIND OF TREE
WOULD
YOU WANT TO BE?
INTRODUCTION
If you were a tree, what kind of tree would you want to be?
The other night at a Major League Baseball game at the
Little League Baseball Game in Williamsport, Pennsylvania kids were asked to
ask their favorite baseball player a question – or the other way around.
The question chosen a bunch of times for the kids was, “If
you were an animal, what animal would you want to be?”
It was an ice breaker question. One kid said he’d like to
be a dog. Another kid a fish.
TODAY’S FIRST READING
Well, when I read today’s first reading about The
Parable of Four Trees, I thought of a good question: “If you were a tree,
what kind of a tree would you want to be?”
In this first reading the people wanted a king – but what
kind of a king?
One like an olive tree – oozing rich oil on given
situations.
One like a fig tree – giving food to the people.
One like a vine,
giving grapes and wine to the people.
Or to be like the buckthorn – giving a hiding place and
safety to folks – but maybe not much more.
LOOK AT OUR OWN LIFE
Each of us could look at our lives. What are my
characteristics? What are my gifts? What do I bring to the table?
That could lead to further questions.
Do I do comparisons? Am I envious? Do I blame God for being
unfair – like the folks in today’s gospel blaming the vineyard owner for paying
the workers unfairly?
CONCLUSION
If I were a tree, what kind of tree would I want to be and
why?
Maple tree? Sycamore? Redwood? Oak? Weeping Willow? Palm?
Bamboo? Magnolia?
Do yourself with this question? Ask others how they see
you, if you were a tree? Be ready for interesting insights and learnings – and
maybe an “Uh oh!” or two.
August 23, 2023
GRUDGES
When I see people – sometimes….
Sometimes I sense they are carrying
grudges in their heart, in their mind –
or wherever people put their grudges –
most probably in their everyday memories.
I sense them in their skin – on their face –
In their hands – in their sounds….
They have grudges, gripes and grievances
about a family member or someone
they were friends with way back when.
The gripe or grudge or grievance
is like a dog that keeps barking:
"Bark! Bark! Bark!" "Grr! Grr! Grr!"
And nobody wants to give up a dog
they’ve gotten used to – a dog they love.
What do they have to do? To do? To do?
© Reflections,
Andy Costello
August 22, 2023
Quote for Today
I SEE HIS BLOOD UPON THE ROSE
I see his blood upon the rose
And in the stars the glory of his eyes.
His body gleams amid eternal snows.
His tears fall from the skies.
I see his face in every flower:
The thunder and the singing of the birds
Are but his voice - and carven by his power
Rocks are his written words.
All pathways by his feet are worn,
His strong heart stirs the ever beating sea.
His crown of thorns is twined with every thorn.
His cross is every tree.
Joseph Mary Plunkett
