Friday, August 26, 2016

August 26, 2016


HARBOR   PULLS

Watching the water waves
against my hull - as I cross
across the harbor waters
to the other side of today....
I feel so many pulls 
from so many waves 
washing against me:
to hear a morning, “Hi!”;
to hear a “Hi!” back from you;
to recognize and be recognized;
to love and be loved in return;
to do something worthwhile today;
to taste what I’m eating;
to ask and then to pass the pepper;
to mean what I’m saying;
to have eye contact with some people;
to check the papers and the news;
to say a prayer;
to get home after the day;
to sit back and relax in the evening;
to say, “Good night! I love you.”



© Andy Costello, Reflections 2016

Painting on top:
Blue Water, Smoke and Ferry
by Gretchen Hancock,
one of her Vashon Fauntleroy Ferry
paintings

Thursday, August 25, 2016

August 25, 2016

WHETHER REPORT

Whether you’re in a good mood or
a bad mood - don’t you realize you
change the atmosphere in the room?

Whenever you come off the elevator,
down the corridor, up the steps into
the house,  don’t you notice everyone?

They are studying you: face, fists, mouth - waiting for the weather report - to see what kind of a mood we’re in for today?


© Andy Costello, Reflections 2016

Wednesday, August 24, 2016

THE  PEOPLE  LITANY

[This is called “The People Litany”. Here are  33 things we people do. If you accept - acknowledge - agree to any one of them - and you will try to keep these things going, vote with a voiced “Amen” which means “Yes!” to that reality.]

People meet together. Amen!
People greet each other. Amen!
People cooperate. Amen!
People educate.   Amen!
People keep secrets. Amen!
People build trust in our relationships.  Amen!
People make mistakes.  Amen!
People say, "I'm sorry. I made a mistake." Amen!
People forgive. Amen!
People build and protect families. Amen!.
People eat with each other.   Amen!
People clap for others. Amen!
People acknowledge each other. Amen!
People listen for feelings underneath words. Amen!
People say, “Thank you” a lot. Amen
People change  Amen!

People grow. Amen!
People pray. Amen!
People respect people. Amen!
People create. Amen!
People speak with hands and eyes when ears don't work.  Amen!
People watch and learn from each other. Amen!
People read. Amen!
People do dumb. Amen!
People do smart. Amen!
People sing, dance and make music. Amen!
People celebrate birthdays and anniversaries. Amen!
People hopefully use rocks to build bridges not walls. Amen!
People challenge and ask questions. Amen!
People take time for old people. Amen!
People take time for young people.  Amen!
People make time for each other. Amen!
People improve things for those after them. Amen!
People sacrifice!   Amen! 



© Andy Costello, Prayers 2016


August 24, 2016

SIGNING MY NAME

Signing a wedding license….
Signing a check….
Signing a gift certificate….
Signing a mortgage on our first house…..
Signing a book in a funeral parlor ….
Signing a Declaration of Independence ….
Signing a voter registration ….
Signing a driver’s license…..
Signing an autograph for a kid….
Signing a birthday card….
Signing a Valentine’s Day card….
Signing that I saw a kid’s report card ….
Signing a referendum that needs 1000 signatures….
Signing a divorce settlement ….
Signing a will….
Please sign:  I was here ________________






© Andy Costello, Reflections 2016

Tuesday, August 23, 2016

August 23, 2016

THE SCENT OF....

The scent of a dozen roses ….
The scent of an onion….
The scent of an old attic trunk….

The scent of a brand new car....
The scent of a newly bathed baby….
The scent of one’s spouse….
The scent of a movie theater….
The scent of bacon, bacon, bacon ….
The scent of crayons….
The scent of an afternoon August rain….
The scent of a Christmas tree….
The scent of oranges….
The scent of grandma's vegetable soup....
The scent of perfume when alone in an elevator….
The scent of a dead body while kneeling in prayer at a casket….
The scent of candles in church ….
The scent of ocean spray in October ….
The scent of freshly baked bread ....
The scent of wine - the Blood of Christ….




© Andy Costello, Reflections 2016


PICKY,  PICKY,  PICKY


INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for the 21st Tuesday in Ordinary time is, “Picky, Picky, Picky.”

It’s the theme that hit me from today’s gospel from Matthew  23: 23-26. Jesus challenges the scribes and Pharisees for being off on tithing for mint, dill and cumin and neglecting the weightier things of the law: judgment and mercy and fidelity.

So a sermon on not being picky, picky, picky.

For the sake of transparency, I am a slob. When it comes to details, I tend to avoid them. I’m not the type who likes picking up after me. Being a bachelor is not all that bad.

I realize this isn’t always the best way to go.  I don’t want hair in my food. I don’t want to pick up too many bugs. And I know details are very important at times - like being careful with Waterford glass and the pin in a hand grenade.

RELIGION

When it comes to religion, picky, picky, picky can become a problem.

I’ve seen this when it comes to indulgences and novenas.  The goal is union and communion with God - not getting every iddy biddy prayer - word perfect - exact number of times - or what have you.

I’ve seen it with this year of the door of mercy. People want to know which door is it - that you have to come through.  I know Matthew talks about getting every letter, every part of the  letter of the Law correct. If I was with Matthew at the Last Supper or any supper, I think I would want to be at the other end of the table from him.

I  like to tell the story about the lady and the altar cloth. She was sitting at the end of her bench in the main aisle - 3rd row. I was sitting off to the side - during the readings - and I could see her face was uptight about something. It was the altar cloth. It was not on straight. Sometimes I’ve see an altar cloth with four tiny red crosses on it - to make the exact 4 corners. We’ll this one was lopsided in front and on the side.  I went over to the lady after Mass and asked if she was going crazy with the altar cloth. She looked at me with a smile and said, “Yes. How did you know?”

I told her that It was written all over her face and I could see how tense and nervous her jaw was.

I didn’t tell her to read the Martha Mary story a few times every other day.

I remember reading about the Russian Revolution - but I’ve never been able to find where I read this.  On one side of town - the Russian Orthodox Church were having a meeting and the agenda was the length of surplices for Mass - and on the other side of town Lenin was taking over the country.

WHAT JESUS WAS OFF ON

Jesus was about inclusion not exclusion. Jesus was about communion not excommunication. Now there are others who are off on exclusion and excommunication - and you can find texts in the Bible to support these positions,

Jesus was about two commandments - and not the 714 rules and regulations of the Law.

Jesus was off  on loving God with all our heart, mind, soul and strength and loving our neighbor as ourselves.

Jesus was off on not straining gnats out of our soup - but instead to spend our energy in serving soup.

Jesus was off on not seeing  specks in our brother eye and missing the camel - carrying wise men - heading for Bethlehem.

Jesus was saying you’ll meet me on the road to Jericho - beaten up - and needing help - or in a stable in Bethlehem - because there was no room in the Inn or the temple.  So you’re more apt to see me in service more than services.

Jesus was about feeding the hungry and giving drink to the thirsty - instead of making sure our food is   kosher.

It’s not what people are wearing at Mass - but that we’re in communion at Mass - in Christ Jesus.  Okay Matthew has Jesus showing up and telling us we better be wearing our wedding garment at the wedding banquet:

When it comes to prayer and worship together, it’s good to be neat and organized - but the New Testament likes to stress - watch out for Phariseeism.

CONCLUSION

The title of my homily is, “Picky, Picky, Picky” and if you’re Neat, Neat, Neat, it probably sounds like I’ve picked on you. Of course I have. I’m Sloppy, Sloppy, Sloppy.


So enough with being fussy, finicky, fastidious,  ultracritical, quibbling, cynical,  hairsplitting, picayune, precise - except when it comes to Zica Mosquitos.

Monday, August 22, 2016

August 22, 2016


TEARS

Tell me too about your tears.
What’s tearing you apart?
What causes you to cry?
Some tears are tears of joy -
like scenes in certain movies
that trigger tears every time.
They too are truth tellers.
Funerals and weddings -
like salt and sugar - demand
tissues or a rub with the hand.
Then there are lakes within -
where drownings took place:
divorces, disasters, deaths.
Turn them to ink. Write a letter
to yourself or someone and
tell them what happened and
how it's taking lots and lots of
time to accept how it still hurts.



© Andy Costello, Reflections 2016