Saturday, March 28, 2015

March 28, 2015


UNTRANSLATABLE


My life, my house, my parents, my brother and sisters, discovering Santa Claus was like the stork, playing baseball for the Bay Ridge Robins and I sat on the bench - except for one inning  the whole season, going to my first baseball game  to see the Dodgers playing at Ebbets Field and  seeing Jackie Robinson in the summer of 1947, Coney Island - the summer of 1948, what my first year in high school was like,  how I felt when people made fun of a cake I made and nobody would eat it, Bliss Park [a park we went to in Brooklyn as kids], being a priest, failing my first drivers test, passing my second drivers test, getting a book published, diving off the high board for the first time in Sunset Park Brooklyn, seeing the movie Doctor Zhivago, a day I had 2 years ago, missing the taste of Butter Almond ice cream - now that I'm a diabetic, not being able to understand what you're feeling right now as well.

                                                   © Andy Costello, Reflections 2015

Friday, March 27, 2015

March 27, 2015


ART MUSEUM

From time to time we nag ourselves,
“One of these days, I gotta get me 
to an art museum. A little culture …. 
I need some more culture.”

In the meanwhile we can close our
eyes and see our ten top paintings
or open our eyes and see all the
beautiful sights surrounding me.


© Andy Costello, Reflections 2015

Thursday, March 26, 2015

March 26, 2015


FAT  PEOPLE 

Sitting there with a fat person,
it hit me that they are carrying more than
pounds. Me too. I keep remembering
what an overweight friend once told me. 
“Don’t talk to me about weight
and a great diet you have. Don’t
you know that fat people are beating
on themselves every day about their
weight and other things and keep 
telling themselves, “Oh my God, 
I gotta go on a diet! I gotta go on a diet.”



© Andy Costello, Reflections 2015

Wednesday, March 25, 2015

March 25, 2015

ANNUNCIATION
 MOMENTS
        
        Annunciation moments ....

        Some wonderful, so marvelous to hear:
                       a pregnancy, a birth, new life,
                       a marriage, new wine, a new beginning.

        Some terrifying, so devastating to hear:
               a death in the family, a loss of faith,
               a divorce, crushed grapes,
                       young children involved.

        Some unsure, unknown, unclear to hear:
               yet Mary said, “Yes, be it done to me
                       according to your word;”
               and Jesus said, “Father, into your hands
                       I give my spirit.”



 © Andy Costello, Reflections 2015

Tuesday, March 24, 2015


OSCAR  ROMERO 
HAVING  CONVICTIONS  AND
HAVING  COURAGE 


The title of my sermon for today is, “Oscar Romero: Having Convictions and Having Courage.”

Today, March 24, 1980, in the evening, Bishop Oscar Romero was shot saying Mass in a San Salvador Carmelite sister’s chapel – part of a clinic cancer ward where he lived.

It was a funeral Mass for Dona Sarita, the mother of a friend – also connected to an Independent newspaper.

In our life time we might see the beatification as well as the sanctification of Oscar Romero.

Thanks to Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict,  the cause for Oscar Romero has advanced. And Pope Francis stresses how he sees Romero as a prime inspiration in his life.

If you saw the movie Romero or read anything about his life, what’s your take and what’s your inspiration from his life?

To me the main message would be to have the courage of our convictions.

When made archbishop of San Salvador, the rich and those on the right were very happy. Oscar Romero didn’t rock any boats – so those with power were happy – especially the upper military.

He began to rethink everything – especially after a friend Rutillo Grande – a priest was murdered – then others, then others.

He started to name names – on the radio – of those who killing the poor, catechists, nuns, those who spoke up and spoke out.

To me – a country like ours – is sometimes a beacon on a hill or a light on the mountain.

However, some of our behaviors make me ashamed of our country. A country like ours that started as a revolt against taxation and freedom – didn’t side with the poor of El Salvador and Nicaragua, etc. A country like ours that almost split in half over freedom for blacks who were slaves – etc. etc. etc. didn’t back the poor and the colored of South and Central America.

He wrote a letter to Jimmy Carter, president of the United States about not sending money to arm the military in San Salvador even more.  He was against  the School of the Americas – here in the U.S. at Fort Benning, Georgia – where many of assassins of so many people in South America were trained. Check School of Americas in Google for more information about what I’m getting at.

After his change, Romero became a marked man. 

Questions are out there now – whether he was killed because of political reasons or religious reasons.  This brings us to the issue of faith and justice.

I know priests who spoke up on these issues could be blackballed and snubbed.

I know that there are those in the Vatican who are not happy with Oscar Romero and his cause – in becoming named a saint and a martyr.

Pope Francis told his opinion when he declared Oscar Romero a martyr this February3, 2015

I’ve always heard that the money is to the right. There are life issues that some people don’t back and withdraw their money.

There are many ways to read the scriptures – to be challenged or as W. C. Fields said when seen reading the Bible – looking for loopholes, just looking for loopholes.

Today is the day Oscar Romero was shot in the heart – right at the consecration of the Mass.

I often wonder what are the issues I’m called to speak up and out about.


I like to be liked and I rather have paper in front of me that is smooth and not abrasive – like sandpaper. Here we are in Lent and it ends with Jesus being executed for speaking up – where do I need to be challenged? That’s what the life of Oscar Romero says to me so far.
March 24, 2015

COLD  WAR

At some point in everyone’s life, everyone realizes
that Dostoevsky was right: the history of the world
is War and Peace

Hot wars are obvious. We can hear shells bursting
and exploding – guns firing – and fear and fire and
fury are screaming and yelling all around us.  

Then comes peace – then comes parades – then
comes treaties and paper signing and dancing in
the streets.

At some point in everyone’s life, everyone realizes
that sometimes there is a cold war going on  - a war
between two people in a family, in a relationship –
and when it’s me against you – or you against me –
then we’re in foreign territory. There is stealth drones
dropping verbal bombs and comments – and past
mistakes on the other. Then we wonder in smokey
aftermath, “Why do we do this to each other?” Why?

Then once more the hope for long, quiet, lasting peace
starts to appear in our soul. It’s then we finally realize
the reality and the beauty of the old words, “Let there
be peace in the world and let it begin with me.” Someday….


© Andy  Costello Reflections, 2015

Monday, March 23, 2015


ROCK  THROWING 

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this Monday in the 5th  Week of Lent is, “Rock Throwing.”

Sex sells. Sex opens eyes and ears. Sex triggers questions and wonderments. Sex is how we got here. Sex is in today’s First Reading and today’s gospel.

FIRST READING

In today’s first reading from the Prophet Daniel we have the story of Susanna and the two dirty old men – both of whom are Peeping Toms with lots of lust. [Daniel 13:41ff.]

They try to seduce her. They can’t pull it off. They fabricate a tale about Susanna. She goes to trial. They try to get her killed. She ends up being saved by the prophet Daniel – and the two men end up being executed.

Great story – that has lasted down to this day!

TODAY’S GOSPEL

Today’s Gospel – obviously paired with the first story for today. It has the woman saved by the Prophet Jesus and the rock throwers put down their weapons of woman destruction.[John 8:1-11]

MESSAGE FOR US

You heard both stories.  What is the message for you?

I like the message from the gospel: “Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.”

I hate the joke about a stone flying through the air – and hitting the woman and Jesus saying, “Mother.”

But paradoxically I do like the joke because it tells me that people know the story about not throwing stones and the story about Mary being without sin.

I also like the comment that those who put down their stones are the oldest at first. That tells me that sins – and then forgiveness – is understood the older we are – hopefully.

We can also add that women’s rights are improving – slowly around the world – compared to the women in both these stories. Yet still read in the papers and women being beaten and killed for sexual behavior and men get away with similar behavior.

HITTING OURSELVES

A side point.  I have learned from listening to a lot of people – that the one person who doesn’t drop their stone – is ourselves. 

Many people hit themselves their whole lives for mistakes made – especially sins of the flesh.

CONCLUSION

Drop the stones.

Stop and drop judging others.


Be understanding.