GATEKEEPERS

INTROUCTION

The title of my homily for this 4^th Monday in Easter Time is, “Gatekeepers.”

Here are some thoughts triggered from today’s readings, especially the gospel.

Yesterday and today and tomorrow we’re listening to the 10^th chapter of the gospel of John. Yesterday we heard Jesus talking about himself being the Good Shepherd. Tomorrow Jesus will talk about his connection - his communion with those who know his voice. Today Jesus describes himself as the Gatekeeper to the Sheepfold.

Gatekeeper to the sheepfold is a metaphor - or figure of speech - as John uses.  We can all picture a sheepfold or pen - or a corral for horses or a kennel for dogs.

I can still picture very clearly a scene from my 12 days  in Palestine in January 2000. We’re in a bus going up the road from Jericho to Jerusalem. I’m looking out the left window - seeing more that way. The roads and driving are the same as in the United States. A good bit of the trip there was a tiny shoulder on the right - and a big wall of earth and rock on the right. About midway I see a sheep pen. It was made of crooked  trees and branches serving as the bars of the pen.  At a makeshift  gate I spot a gatekeeper. In the sheep pen I could see lots of sheep and goats - some black and some white.

I said to myself, “Ah, I’m seeing three or four parables of Jesus here - still relevant - going on almost 2000 years now.

PRACTICAL SERMON APPLICATIONS

Let me voice a few practical applications  from this metaphor of the gatekeeper.

Sometimes I’m a gatekeeper. There are people I don’t allow into my life.

We hear that in today’s first reading from the Acts of the Apostles 11:1-18. Peter and some of the disciples thought some people should not enter into the temple. There are people you should not be eating with. They were pagans. They were profane.

Then Peter has a dream. He sees a large sheet come down from heaven. On that sheet he sees all kinds of animals - clean and unclean  - and basically we hear from this dream and from Peter that nothing God makes is unclean.

Sometimes I inwardly voice a complaint  - a harsh judgment about someone who is in this sheep pen called church.  What is she doing in this church? Do you see him? He’s wearing summer beach shorts in church? Horrible! Or the cleavage? Or he or she are living with so and so? He, he’s going to communion. How dare he do that?  He’s a Democrat and therefore he’s for abortion. When I was working in a retreat house in Tobyhanna Pa. a group of men retreatants went to the priest in charge and said, “How could you allow so and so to make a retreat here? He’s Mafia.  And George said, “Wouldn’t you want him in church? Another group of guys complained about a guy who was making a retreat every year and these guys said this guy came on retreat to be seen and to get votes. And this guy, Frank, told me privately that he came this weekend because on this particular  weekend nobody from his county would be there this weekend. “I just want to make a retreat.”

Another comment would be: I’m grateful Jesus allows me to be in communion with him - and that the chose me - I’m a lost sheep.

Isn’t the Catholic Church fabulous. We are Catholic - which means - everyone - KATA - Greek word for with and Holos - meaning the whole world.  Yes - look around who’s at Mass - the whole world. So I gotta learn how to rub shoulders with those around me and not be scared to talk, bah, baa, bal with everyone in the pen.

Enough.

April 27, 2015

SINK

All of us need sinks

          with faucets

          and soap,

          and water,

          and space,

          to wash away

          the hurts,

          the mistakes

          of everyday

All of us stand there

          in the morning,

          in the evening,

          during the day,

          behind closed doors,

          and every once

          in awhile

          we really look

          into that mirror

          above the sink

          and really look

          at the me

          I am.

All of us need that time

          at our sinks,

          to turn over

          a bar of soap

          in our hands,

          time to turn

          over a remark,

          or a wondering,

          or a relationship,

          in this place backstage,

          to think.

And then we can step back

          from the sink,

          dry off our hands

          and our face,

          and then adjust

          our masks,

          as we open the door

          and head back

          towards the stage. 

SOMETIMES  SHEEP, 

SOMETIMES  SHEPHERD. 

The title of my homily - better reflection - for this 4^th Sunday after Easter B, is, “Sometimes Sheep, Sometimes Shepherd.”

Sometimes I feel like a sheep - just one of the flock - just one of the crowd  - a nobody in the midst of a nameless flock.

Ever feel that way?

Sometimes I get lost on purpose - or do something dumb - so as to get some recognition in life - to get a good hug - to be held and told I worth while - or even to get yelled at. Doing that - at least I’m noticed and get some attention - even if this way is negative.

Sometimes I feel like a shepherd. All the responsibilities are up to me. 

Just when all is settled down after a long day on the road - or in the field -  in the sun and dust and the dirt - just when I’m ready to go to sleep for the night - I discover - when I do the pen count - one sheep is missing. I mutter a sad  “Uh oh” or a mad “Oh no!” 

The pen count is 99 - not 100.

One sheep is lost. One sheep is missing.

I think this is what it must be like for parents when their kids are out and they don’t know where they are. Lots of “uh oh’s” - lots of  possible “Oh no’s!” -  lots of “I wonder if.”

This is what it must be like when a wife or a husband is wondering where the other is in the night.

Then as shepherd I start shouting out in the dark - yelling into the dark,  “Where are you? Where are you?”

Then when I find my lost sheep, I  see the blood and cuts from hillside brambles  - along with dry blood - on my lost sheep' light brown wool.

Then when I get back home to the pen, I can hear the whining tones of “Baa, baa, baa" - from the 99 who didn't mess up.”

The Good Shepherd has seen this same thing happen in his own family when a brother or a sister is lost - and everyone is upset till the lost sheep is found  He thinks every family - every flock - must go through these moments of tension. “Oh no, not again.”

We have a niece who dropped out of the family - and we all have felt the pain that comes to a lost family.

If they ever return, the Good Shepherd can see how sheepish a lost sheep can be.

Then there is the hired hand syndrome. People who rent or borrow - can be guilty of this one. A shepherd has a problem. Sometimes something comes up. There is a death, a funeral, or a wedding comes up. This means he has to come up with a hired hand.

The sheep don’t recognize his voice. He’s just not the same as their shepherd.  Things are not as personal.

Ever notice how nervous sheep are with strangers?

Okay, you've never been hired to be a shepherd. Well, you might be familiar with the following situation. You're walking along and you see a little kid standing there or in their carriage. You're a stranger. You stop to say, "Hi." You wave to this little kid. The kid immediately turns to their parents eye or runs to their parents reach for their parents arm or leg for support. They immediately try to connect with their parent. They immediately nudge their way to someone they know much more than a stranger.

Ever notice this?  Did this ever happen to you?

Ever notice how some babysitters are very personal. The kid or kids they are waiting for after school to babysit can’t wait to see their face. This babysitter is so nice that they love it when their parents are going to a wedding - for a weekend. This babysitter plays with them. This babysitter loves her job. She's doing it for money - but she also loves kids.

So kids - like sheep - know whether the hired babysitter or shepherd of substitute parent really cares about them. Little kids and babies know whether granny or grandpa is happy to be with them - or whether they are being used by their parents and resentment is rampant. They feel stuck with the kids AGAIN.

Unconsciously they know motives about teachers, coaches, doctors, nurses, clergy, whoever is caring for them at the moment.

How do we see ourselves and how to we treat those in our care?

Good shepherd or hired hand?

Cute sheep or dumb animal?

Let's add: sheep or wolf? Sheep or goat?

So this comes down to how we see life - what our attitudes are - who we are - how we think?

Sometimes a shepherd is all heart - knowing he's about to sell 100 sheep to a butcher to sell in the marketplace. 

Sometimes a shepherd is a philosopher - seeing all of life in his life. Sacrifice is front and center for the life of a sheep and shepherd. These sheep are here to give wool and these sheep are going to sheared - and nights can be cold in the fields without their wool coats. These sheep are going to give not only the skin off their backs - but their bodies to feed a family.

Sometimes a shepherd is a preacher - and a prophet - knowing the bible texts - about who the good shepherds are - and who the selfish and non-caring are.

The title of my homily is, "Sometimes Sheep,  Sometimes Shepherds."

Hopefully never wolf or hired hand.

Hopefully cornerstone or sometimes one of the stones that build up the home - but that's another metaphor and another sermon - for another day. Amen.

April 26, 2015

THREE ON A TRAIN

He’s pecking away on his laptop.

She’s knitting something blue.

Is one pregnant with a novel?

Is one pregnant with a baby boy?

I’m sitting there with no one - all alone -

on a train from Brussels to Brugge.

We’re sitting here - knitting together -

our story, It’s naughty. It’s nice.

Is there anyone around who wants to read

the novel we’re knitting of our lives?

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2015

April  25, 2015

THE RAFT

Somewhere out there in the deep waters

          is a raft

          called Love,

          called God.

And everybody knows it’s there,

          somewhere,

          as we all swim

          around in this ocean

          of words and stuff,

          trying to find the raft

          called Love,

          knowing that Love

          is the answer,

          as all the songs sing it,

          as all the prophets tell us.

And it’s hard work swimming and struggling

          and trying to find that raft

          called Love,

          called God.

And suddenly some of us

          spot the raft

          off there in the distance

          and as we swim closer

          we see it’s almost sinking

          with people.

Then God reaches out with his hands

          and pulls us up

          out of the water

          and onto the wood,

          and just then

          God suddenly laughs

          watching us trying

          to lug our wet possessions

          on board, too.

But then God starts to clap

          and slaps somebody

          on the back,

          who just then saw our stupidity

          and threw his stuff overboard,

          and once more

          there is just enough room,

          just enough space,

          on the raft

          called Love,

          called God. 

(c) Andy Costello

April 24, 2015

WHAT’S IMPORTANT?

The teen-ager couldn’t wait for summer,

couldn’t wait for all those summer mornings

he and his grandfather

went fishing, went talking.

“Grandpa, what’s important?”

(LONG PAUSE)

“Well, you’ll have to sit back and listen to people

for the answer to that one.

“Or better, you’ll have to watch people.

Watch their hands, their faces,

but especially watch their eyes.

People always tell you

what’s important with their eyes.

“Why I once had a man tell me that his wife

was dead 3 years and 44 days

and he was still counting,

and his eyes were still crying

“Or listen to your grandma next time you take

her shopping. Listen to the things

she brings up -- the things she talks about

when she meets her friends.

I know you always find shopping

with her boring, but watch her

as she takes out her pictures of you

and all her other grandchildren

to show them to her friends.

“Watch people watch their watches.

They’re telling you an awful lot.

And yawns . . . Notice yawns.

They’re always a dead give away.

“Listen to the sounds behind words, behind voices . . .

what people get angry at,

when they get mad.

Then you’ll know when someone is stepping on somebody’s values or somebody’s nerves.

Then you’ll know that someone is going beyond

somebody’s ‘No trespassing. Private property’ sign.

“And don’t worry too much about people’s answers.

Listen to their questions.

Questions always tell you a lot more.”

(LONG PAUSE)

“By the way, why did you ask that question?” 

(c) Andy Costello

April 23, 2015

PRESENCE

Let’s be honest.

We all know about presence,

whether a person wants to be with us

or whether they feel trapped,

like a prisoner in our presence.

The baby knows.

She knows even when she’s sleeping

whether her parents want her or not.

The old people know.

They know which of their children

are only a phone call

or a visit away.

The team knows whether the cheer leaders

have to cheer or want to cheer.

They know when the crowd

is with them or not.

They know. They can sense it.

The people in the church know

whether the preacher

wants to be in the pulpit or not.

The wife -- the husband -- they both know

whether their marriage

has become a trap -- people living,

people dying in separate prison cells,

or whether their marriage

is an ever expanding universe,

an ever expanding move towards God.

I am.

God is present and we know it.

Presence:

we know these truths about presence

even when we deny them.

And all is touching.

All the cells of the universe

are touching each other,

present to each other,

cheering each other on.

All is present to all.

All is circular.

Everything is present to everything.

Everyone is present to everyone.

Everyone is present to God.

God is  present to everyone and everything.

The universe is a sign

of the ever expanding presence of God,

like the baby to the parents.

My life is touching your life

Life is touching life.

Life is touching God.

Yet some people feel trapped.

They feel like they are dying,

in a closed prison cell,

unable to open up to the presence of another person,
to the presence of God.

And the truth will set you free.

And all cells will be opened. 

(c) Andy Costello