October 22, 2016

METAL  DOOR

A big metal door,

bronze, brown, thick,

with grey granite steps

leading up to that door.

Pause…. hesitation …. "Uh oh!"

Is it locked.

Do I knock?

Do I wait?

Is there anyone

at a small desk -

just sitting there -

just inside waiting

for that door to open?

Life - too many times -

there’s a big metal door -

between the two of us,

husband ///// wife,

mother ///// daughter,

father ///// son,

neighbor ///// neighbor,

God ///// me.

"Knock ...."

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2016
Cathedral Door and Steps
in Lund, Sweden

October 21, 2016

DRIVERS LICENSE

It’s the diploma….
It’s the passport ….

It’s the key to freedom ….
to the open road -

to distance oneself

from growing up -

to get away from family -

to get out of here

for a few years -

and then there is

the open road?

Who knows what is

the real drivers license

to what’s after that?

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2016

UNITED  NATIONS 

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this 29^th Friday in Ordinary Time is, “United Nations.”

I listened to all 3 Presidential Debates - as well as some of the primary debates - and I don’t remember hearing anyone say anything about the United Nations.  In fact, it seems to me, that it’s rarely mentioned - except for criticism. At least that’s my unsure analysis.

71 years ago it was the dream of Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Winston Churchill (He got the idea in the bathtub) - to pull together the nations - to work for peace and harmony and unity. The earlier League of Nations from World War I time had failed - but lasted from 1919-20 till 1946-47.

THE TOPIC

I choose the topic of the United Nations of today’s first reading. Every time I hear it brings back a memory of the United Nations. This was something that happened to me when I was younger, much younger, I  decided on my own to visit the United Nations on a Saturday. The place was closed.

I turned around and saw the big wall with the words of Isaiah 2:4 carved into the stone: “These will hammer their swords into ploughshares, their spears into sickles. Nations will not lift sword against nation, there will be training for war no more.”

Now that’s a text to throw into the Second Amendment debate discussions.

Then I saw a United Nations chapel across the street. I walked over. It was open.  I walked in and sat down and prayed for peace in the world.

As I sat there I saw that there was an Bible - I assumed it was a Bible  - laying open - all alone on the altar.  Being nosey - or intrigued -  I walked up front - climbed over the rope fence - and found today’s first reading from Ephesians. I didn’t look around to see if there were any search video cameras.

I stood there reading Ephesians 4:1-6 in the open book on the altar. Of all the texts in the Bible to pick for a chapel called, “The United Nations Chapel” this was a great choice.

Brothers and sisters: I, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to live in a manner worthy of the call you have received, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another through love, striving to preserve the unity of the spirit through the bond of peace; one Body an one Spirit, as you were also called to the one hope of your call; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

Once more: that was a great choice for a United Nations message -  the call for all of us to work for unity.

A MESSAGE

My message for this morning would be: “Don’t po  po the United Nations.”

As already stated, the United Nations is rarely mentioned. It’s ignored. And when mentioned it’s often ridiculed.

Two comments:

First of all, if you don’t do any homework or study or finding out about the UN, listen to the issues the United Nations challenges us to work for: law and justice, drug trafficking and children trafficking.  It gets into human rights, peace keeping, feeding the hungry, financial stability, climate control, arms proliferation, drinking water, family, wages, to name a few.

Secondly, when people criticize the UN, simply ask, what have you read up about the UN? What do you know about it? What are its strengths? What are its weaknesses?  Maybe the person asked is University Political Science teacher or maybe they are someone who doesn’t have a clue about what they are talking about.

Pope Francis on September of 2015, Benedict in 2008, John Paul 2, in 1979 and 1995, and Paul 6^th in 1965, spoke at the UN. What did they say? Have you read their comments? Would you still say what you’re saying about the United Nations after considering what they said at the UN?

CONCLUSION

Work for unity today. Pray for the UN today.

October 20, 2016

SLIGHTLY

As in a curtain waltzing,

or green grass shaking

on my small green lawn,

or a new born horse

getting her legs - standing,

or a tire wearing - hitting

29,333 miles on the road,

so I age ever so slightly,

so I know You God each

day slightly more and more.

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2016

TWO  WORDS: 

INSIGHT  AND  INSCRUTABLE

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this 29^th Wednesday in Ordinary time is, “Two Words: Insight and Inscrutable.”

I noticed both these words in the English translation for today’s first reading from the Letter to the Ephesians.

Insight as in “my insight into the mystery of Christ….”

Inscrutable as in “the inscrutable riches of Christ….”

IT’S GREEK TO ME

I often notice in books about preaching, “Don’t quote Greek words in the pulpit.” Then they give the reason: “It turns people off” or “They have no clue what you are talking about.”  or “It’s Greek to me.”

Yet the New Testament is written in Greek. We’re dealing with translations from the pulpit in the readings at Mass. So the Greek is very important. We have gone beyond the days when people thought the Bible was written in King James English.

Moreover, when I read the English translation - like that of today’s first reading from Ephesians - I get a thought - and say, “Wow that’s a good idea to think about.” That’s what happened when the two words - insight and inscrutable jumped up out of the text for me today.  

It’s then that I hear a challenge: “Check out the Greek.”

Then I say to myself, “Will what I found out help those I’m talking to today?”

Then I sometimes say, “Give it a try. If it’s boring, it’s only a 2 page homily.” [Show 2 pieces of paper.]

SO HERE GOES WITH SOME TRANSLATION COMMENTS

I couldn’t find the word “insight” in other translations.

Insight means seeing within. Seeing within. An insight is seeing what’s inside. 

The Greek word is “sunesin” - which can be translated, “insight” or  my “perception”, my “understanding”, my “putting two and two together”, or “figuring”, “considering”.

The refrigerator door is closed and it’s dark and cold in there. When we open up the door, the light goes on and we see some of the things that are within the refrigerator.

And what does Paul get in insight into: Christ.

On the road to Damascus he was blinded - and as a result he was in the dark - and in the dark he saw a new light: Christ.

As they say in AA and other 12 programs, “Sometimes you have to hit bottom to rise.”  “Sometimes you have to bottom out - to get out from where you are under or within.”

So Paul got the insight to see who Christ is - the one he was persecuting.

The next word is “inscrutable”.  I don’t ever remember using that word - but it’s a good word. In Greek the word is “anexichniaston”.  It means “inscrutable” or “unsearchable”, “without a footprint”, “something that we can’t trace”.

Paul is saying that Christ is all gift.

Today’s gospel talks about a thief breaking into a house.

We can say to Jesus, break into my house. Break through my walls. Enter into me and don’t let me wait. Surprise me now. Today, open up this cold refridgerator called “me” and put the light on - and let me see your presence within me.

And I will serve you.

And I will stop beating others - being rough on others. I will serve them instead.  They deserve my service

CONCLUSION -

Surprise. Jesus will sit us down and serve us the best of bread the best of wine. Surprise! Isn’t that why we’re here at Mass? We’ve had that insight years ago and have been taking advantage of being within Christ the inscrutable insight ever since.

October 19, 2016

MISTAKE

It was the wrong thing to say ….

But….

Nope, it was the wrong thing to say….

I feel so stupid, so dumb….

Nope, I won’t say next time ….

But….

I’ll ask, “What is the lesson here?

What’s the learning here?

My buttons? My inability to walk away?

It’s also forgiveness … starting with the other….

Then it’s forgiveness - forgiving myself….

It’s understanding: we all make mistakes.

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2016

October 18, 2016

HEY, I’M _________

I am _____________

What is my first answer to that question?

What does that say about me?

How do others describe me?

Someone said, “Give 25 answers

to the question, “Who am I?” and

somewhere around 18 you’ll start

to really get to who you are?

Who am I?

I am ____________

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2016