MERCY AND 

ENCOURAGEMENT

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this 10^th Monday in Ordinary Time  is, “Mercy and Encouragement.”

THEME FOR A YEAR

Our pope, Francis, is off on the theme of Mercy.

He’s proclaiming an upcoming year of mercy. It will begin this December 8, 2015  and go till November 20, 2016.

He’s announcing it, pushing it, proclaiming it. He’ll be calling us to show mercy to each other and accept mercy, forgiveness, reconciliation with ourselves and others.

MERCY - LETTING GO OF THE STICK

In a homily on March 17^th, 2013, Pope Francis used the image of a stick.

He preached the following: “I think we too are the people who, on the one hand, want to listen to Jesus, but on the other hand, at times, like to find a stick to beat others with, to condemn others. And Jesus has this message for us: mercy. I think — and I say it with humility — that this is the Lord's most powerful message: mercy.”

Translation: “Put down your sticks - we could add ‘stones’ and stop beating on others as well as ourselves.”

I finished a Friday 12:10 Mass here at St. John Neumann’s a few years ago and there were about 20 women in Seelos Hall with about 50 little kids. I noticed there were about 25 little girls and they were playing together with dolls and little carriages. There were 25 boys and they were outside on the lawn there - all the boys had sticks and they were dueling - and fighting each other with sticks.

It reminded me of something my niece Patty told me about her two boys. Boys will be boys will be boys all the time. You can try to keep toy guns and tanks and bomber planes away for them, but they’ll make guns out of peanut butter sandwiches and shoot at each other.

Mercy is putting down the guns and the gossip and active and passive aggression we have towards each other and ourselves.

That’s mercy. If we put a whole year towards doing that - we will be evangelizing the world.

Will that work? Time will tell.

PAUL VI ON EVANGELIZATION

Back in 1975 Pope Paul VI came out with an enclyclical on Evangelization  - Evangelii Nuntianidi. Announcing peace to the world.  We were told over and over and over again - to be evangelizers.

To be honest, I never really got it.

And I’ve been hearing the words, “New Evangelization” ever since and I still don’t get it.

Okay,  I get it, but I don’t get it.

I don’t think it’s a good marketing of Christianity - using this big word “evangelization”.

I think a shorter more common word works much better. For example this year we are going to stress “Mercy”. Be merciful to each other for this year.

It would be like having a year of faith or hope or charity.

I think one short common word works better.

So come next December 8^th, 2015,  have mercy towards folks you live with and deal with till November 20, 2016.

Try it.

IN THE MEANWHILE

In the meanwhile, the title of this homily is “Encouragement.”

Ooops! I’m contradicting myself. Encouragement.

Today we begin the It’s not me….

Thought: this week show encouragement towards the people in your life.

See if it works for a week.

I say this because in today’s first reading the word, “Encouragment” is used 8 times in 7 verses. In Greek the word is “PARAKLESIS”

I was at Genesis yesterday at Milkshake Lane - off Forest Drive. I signed in my name at the desk at 12:45 - and saw 4 people from the parish.

All 4 thanked me for the visit.

I get back to the sign in book at 3:12 and I couldn’t find my name to mark when I was leaving. Surprise there were 3 pages after my name. All kinds of others were visiting others.

That’s encouragement - so too a phone call, so too an e-mail, so too a Get Well Card.

So too going to a kids game. So too playing cards with kids. So too encouraging a person who is having a tough time with a marriage and on and on and on.

Sir Winston Churchill was off on Courage - saying, “Without courage, all other virtues lose their meaning.”

Wasn’t that his job all through World War II when England and London were being bombed all night long?

CONCLUSION

It takes courage to be an encourager.

Try it for a week - and then try another virtue for another week, That will give you a hint, whether  you can hold a stress for a week. You - building strength for a whole year of mercy.

June 8, 2015

IT’S  NOT  ME

It’s not me…. 

It’s quite a relief 

to find out it’s not me 

when I thought it was me. 

Luckily I asked someone 

what I was doing wrong

when it came to him.

And this person said,

“It’s not you.
That’s the way

he is with everyone.”

“Wow! Phew!”

That’s a wonderful,

“Wow!” and “Phew!”
"Oooopps! I realized
how sad it must be 
to be this guy."

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2015

BODY  OF  CHRIST - AMEN 

BLOOD  OF  CHRIST - AMEN 

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily is, “Body of Christ - Amen. Blood of Christ - Amen.”

Today we’re celebrating the great feast of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ.

Obviously, we should be doing some deep thinking and reflecting upon this great reality and mystery  in our faith.

We can be in Holy Communion with Christ - someone who lived some 2000 years ago. 

Moreover, we believe Christ is God  - in the Trinity. Our God is one God - 3 persons. 

These are amazing beliefs.

DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD IN  PALMYRA NEW YORK

Years and years ago - maybe in the early 1980’s - I’m driving down a road in Palmyra, New York and I spot a Mormon Museum or Visitors center off to my right. I stop. I go in. I’m wearing a T-shirt and while walking about someone offers me a guided tour.

I say, “Yes” and all kinds of things are shown me and told me about the Mormon Religion.

After the tour - I’m on the road again - heading for Webster, New York where I was going to preach a Parish Mission for a week.

Boom! It hits me. I say, “Holy Cow, people believe what I just heard.”

Boom! On top of that, it hits me, “If I told people who never believed in Christianity and Catholicism, what we believe in, would they have the same thoughts and reaction I  had about Mormonism - or many religions?”

If I told them about Jesus Christ being both human and divine, about the miracles of Jesus - the virgin birth, that we believe that Jesus Christ is God and we can eat him in the bread, drink him in the wine - and that bread and wine become the body and blood of Christ - in our Mass -  what would be their reaction?

Yes that’s a central belief in Catholicism - in our understanding of what it means to be a Christian.

In preparing this homily, I looked up Mormonism

on line and found some amazing beliefs.

I don’t believe there are people living on the moon and they are tall - many of them 7 feet tall or more. I don’t believe there are people living on the sun. [Journal of Discourses, Vol. 13, p. 217]

I don't believe that  "The Garden of Eden was in Missouri when Adam and Eve were kicked out.”

I don't want to make fun of other's beliefs -especially from the pulpit. What I'm talking about is my experience on the road from Palmyra, New York to Webster, New York.

I'm talking about my experience of wondering what others might think in hearing about Catholic teachings - especially our belief in what happens in our Mass - with the changing of bread and wine into the body and blood of Jesus Christ. 

SO TODAY’S READINGS

Today we're celebrating the feast of "The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ."

So we have appropriate readings for this feast.

In this first reading we have Moses sending young men of the Israelites to sacrifice young bulls as peace offerings to the Lord. Then Moses takes the blood from these sacrifices and puts half of the blood into large bowls and the other half of the blood was splashed on the altar. Then he sprinkled blood on people saying, “This is the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you in accordance with all these words of his.”

What would it be like experiencing that? What would that feel like? We know what it’s like to be sprinkled with Holy Water. What would blood be like? Oooh!.

And today’s gospel brings us into the upper room where Jesus takes bread - unleavened bread - and blesses it, breaks it, and says, “Take it; this is my body.”  Then he took a cup with wine in it, gave thanks and says, “This is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed for many.”

Every once and a while that should be hitting us - and hitting us big time.

When was the last time that overwhelmed us?

Today when you are coming up the aisle for communion - walk mindfully. Receive with reverence and amazement.

Pause when you’re handed the bread and the wine - and say appropriately, “Amen.”

LEN THE PLUMBER

As I was working on this homily last night and paused and tried to come up with experiences I had with the Bread and the Wine.

Back in the 1970’s I was stationed in a retreat house in Tobyhanna, Pennsylvania. On Saturday night, based on the number of men making the weekend retreat, each man would get around 20 minutes of time alone in our retreat chapel, kneeling in front of Christ in the Blessed Sacrament in the gold monstrance - all through the night.

Right after that evening Mass - everyone would clear out of chapel - and one man at a time would kneel there in prayer - up front - in the dark - by himself in prayer. Candles on the altar would be the only light.

I’m in the sacristy after that Saturday night Mass and I forgot where I was and was figuring out a few things in the sacristy. I finished up and walked out of the sacristy. I  headed across the sanctuary. I stepped down into the  main aisle - to walk quietly towards the back door of the chapel.

Boom, I stepped off the first step and right onto the back of a man lying on the floor - worshipping Christ the Lord. I crashed into the benches - said “I’m sorry!” I wasn’t hurt and quickly got up and walked out of the chapel.

The next morning I went up to the man. I saw who he was the night before. He was a big powerful 6 foot 5 or so man - named, “Len the Plumber”. He was not the Len the Plumber - the one whose name is on billboards here in Maryland. This was up in the Scranton - Wilkes Barre - Wyoming Valley part of Pennsylvania. I said, “What were you doing on the floor last night.”

He said, “That’s the way I pray when I come here on retreat before Christ - in the Holy Eucharist.”

I said, “Ooooooh.”

He added, “That’s my God and my savior.”

Then - he must have seen my face - said, “7 years ago we were digging this deep hole in the ground next to a building. It was a big plumbing job. Well, my son was down at the bottom of the hole and the whole thing caved in onto my son. We should have used a caisson. I grabbed a shove and jumped into the hole and started digging and praying furiously. I prayed,  ‘Jesus save my son.’ Then my shovel hit his head - under the dirt. I screamed to my other son, ‘He’s here! I got him.’ I pulled the dirt away from his mouth with my hands and he was still breathing. Jesus saved my son. That’s why I was on the floor last night - still praying and still thanking my Lord and my God for saving my son.”

Many, many, many, times when I’m receiving communion I remember that story.

WHAT ARE YOUR COMMUNION STORIES?

What are your communion stories?

One Holy Thursday evening I was preaching in Upstate New York and as I was giving out Communion I started noticing the hands that reached out to receive Communion that night.

The 10^th  person was an old lady with very arthritic hands. “Body of Christ! Amen.”

The 15^th person was a teenager with a boy’s name in ballpoint pen written on the palm of her hand. “Body of Christ! Amen.”

The 20^th person was a big burly man - with lots of black oil or tar or grime on his hands. “Body of Christ! Amen.”

Near the end of the Receiving communion line was a teen age girl with just the palm of her hand - and her fingers were just tiny beads of flesh.

“Body of Christ! Amen.”

Well, after Mass on that Holy Thursday night I had some time to just sit there in communion with Christ - and pray and reflect - and those moments with all those people hit me big time. “Body of Christ! Amen.”

CONCLUSION

Those are a few thoughts and memories and moments of Holy Communion. I have many more. What are yours?

 I have many. What are yours?

Amen.

June 7, 2015

PASSOVER MEAL

As we Mass goers know

the Passover Meal is the Mass….

Jesus is the Lamb, the Wine and

the Bread….. He wants us to sit down

with him and enjoy a meal together.

He’ll wash our feet - tell us how to love

one another - as he has loved us -

and ask us to meet and repeat this meal

till he comes again - all in memory of him.

© Andy Costello, Reflections, 2015

Painting on top: Part of an Altarpiece [1520-1525] 

by Joos Van Cleve - 1485- 1540/1

June 6, 2015

SELF TEST  #  16
SOME PEOPLE

Some like to stand by the edge.

Some like to stand in the center.

Some like to stand on the right.
Some like to stand on the left.

Some like to take risks.

Some like to stay safe.

Some like to listen.

Some like to talk.

Some like the old.

Some like the new.

Some are open.

Some are closed.

Some are stuck.

Some bend their way out of slavery.

Some know themselves.

Some know others.

Some don’t know themselves.

© Andy Costello, Reflections, 2015

BOOK  OF  TOBIT 

 INTRODUCTION

The title of my thoughts for this 9^th Friday in Ordinary Time is, “The Book of Tobit.”

We read The Book of Tobit as the first reading during the 9^th Week in Ordinary Time, every other year.

OPEN UP THE TREASURES OF THE SCRIPTURES FOR CATHOLICS

In the documents of Vatican II, in the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, it states that we are to open up, “The treasures of the Bible more lavishly, so that richer fare may be provided for the faithful at the table of God’s Word.” [Chapter II, # 51.]

So non-Catholics can no longer complain that Catholics don’t know or read the Bible.

This is the 50^th Anniversary of Vatican II - and the past 50 years there certainly has been some significant changes in Catholicism.

More Catholics reading the Bible certainly has been a significant change. This is not to say, we didn’t before.

With a broad generalization for authority, many Protestants would say they have the Bible - and some would stress private interpretation - and Catholics would stress the Pope - and to follow his and the Church’s teachings.

Since Vatican II there have been in the Catholic Church - Bible study groups - e.g. the Little Rock Arkansas program.  I went to a few conferences during the summer and there were lots of lay people as well as nuns and priests making the program. Catholics and Protestants read lots of books about the Bible, etc. etc. etc.

At Masses we go through the whole Bible every 2 years on weekday Masses and much of the Bible during Sunday Masses.

Priests had to preach on many more readings. Some sermons changed - and were now called Homilies.

I’m sure you have thoughts about all of this - talk to each other.

Catholics use Missalette like The Magnificat  and Give Us This Day - at home and at Mass - and if the sermon is poor, they like the commentaries in those missalettes.

WHERE TO BEGIN THE BIBLE

If someone wants to read the Bible, I learned to say, “Start with James.”  If you don’t get James, uh oh!

With computers one can type into Google the name of any book in the Bible and read what comes up.

You’ll get literal and liberal comments and interpretations.

Read a section at a time and read homilies on a text. Like James 1: 13-15.

Take your time and new life will come.

THE BOOK OF TOBIT

This week - Monday to Saturday - we have The Book of Tobit - chopped up like a dinner on a plate to cut with knife and fork - and chew on.

It’s a strange document - a novel for some - a series of folk tales for others.

I find it fascinating - a guy getting cataracts from bird droppings. A woman who was married to 7 different husbands - all of whom died their wedding night - before consummating the marriage. At the end of that story - there’s a nice marriage story about the 8^th marriage - the one that makes it - because the demon of lust is destroyed. It talks about healing with fish oil. Very interesting stuff.

RESEARCH

Some didn’t think it should be a book in the Bible. Some did. The Bible from Alexandria - the so call Septuagint has it.  The Bible from Jerusalem doesn’t.

They had at least 4 versions of the story. Fragments of Tobit were found in the Dead Sea Caves. They are in Hebrew.

Some date the book to the 4^th century B.C.; some date it to around 180 B.C.

The more research - say as a hobby - the more one learns.

CONCLUSION   

Go for it.

June 5, 2015

REWRITING 

When I write a poem

I rewrite it at least 16 times.

Realizing that I like to say,

“Writing is rewriting.”

Then I realized this poem, this

book, called me, is a rewrite.

I’m editing my life stories inside

my mind - to make them fit me.

I’m making me sound better or

worse to myself all my life.

Is that bad? No! Unless I start

to believe my lies to myself.

Maybe the last stage of life

is the real edition: the real me.

© Andy Costello, Reflections, 2015