MONSTRANCE

Christ - Bread - behind glass

in the golden monstrance

on an altar in a small

below the church chapel.

Christ - in the streets - under

cardboard - in the cold damp

night - raining - people passing

by on the cold cement sidewalk.

Christ - on the couch -

mom and dad, husband and wife

both 27 - holding each other

and their baby in Holy Communion.

Christ - the teenager - somewhere 
else in his mind - than being in the carpenter shop - longing to be in a synagogue - to deal with different ways to measure life.

Christ - on the road - at the sea shore -

on a donkey walking down a street

strewn with palms and then in less than a week,

he’s all blood with a cross on the way to Calvary.

© Andy Costello, Reflections  2017

June 18, 2017

HAPPY   FATHER'S DAY

That's my dad - holding me the youngest of four - in his arms. But  Peggy the second youngest was his favorite - sort of lost in the crowd in this double exposed picture.  Billy the oldest has the white collar. Mary the next oldest has the biggest hat. My mom has the flower in the lapel. I think the picture is Easter at Bliss Park - or Owls Head Park.

EASY TO REMEMBER
MORNING  PRAYER

Bless us, O Lord,
and these Your gifts
which we are about to receive
from Your bounty,
through Christ, Our Lord, Amen.

June  17, 2017

PERFECTLY  IMPERFECT  PERSON

Hopefully, we’re “just perfect”  to someone.

It's good if we hear that; better: if we experience that; best: if we know that - from someone.

Because we know we’re not perfect.

We know we make mistakes. We misspell

the first word we get in the Spelling Bee.

But our dad is there to clap for us - our mom

is there - to eat our chocolate cake, even though

though it’s horrible. We forgot a key ingredient. 

The Prodigal Son came home to a perfect

father - and that perfect father - went outside

to try to bring inside his perfect older son.

© Andy Costello, Reflections  2017
Painting on top: Jonathan Quist

June 16, 2017

HAVES  AND  HAVE  NOTS 

I have memories. If and when
I don't know that  - I have dementia.

I have things I have figured out and

things I haven’t figured out - yet ….

I have time sometimes and sometimes

I don’t have time. So it's about time ....

I have faith - and I pray for those for

whom this is a have not. Bummer ….

I have secrets…. In fact, I haven’t

met a person yet who doesn’t.  

I have made mistakes and I have not

been able to take any of them back.

I have stuff and I don’t have stuff - 

now that’s stuff to think about.

There are haves and have nots. 

Who decides who’s who and what's what?

  

© Andy Costello, Reflections  2017

PRAYER FOR BALANCE

        Lord,

          give me the grace

          and give me the gift to be able:

          to see and to hear both sides

                    of an argument,

          to know when to give another space

                    and when to intervene,

                    to step back or to step in,

                    to speak or to listen,

                    to know which one is best

                    for any given situation,

          to know when to let go

                    and when to hang on,

          to be stubborn as a bulldog

                    or to run away like a deer,

          to work hard and then to know

                    when it’s time to play

                    and when it’s time to rest,

          to know when to serve

                    and when to be served,

          to know when to mix

                    and when to be alone,

          to know when to be like rock

                    and when to be like water,

          knowing that you are with me

          and with all others,

          this day and every day,

          all the days of our life. Amen.

© Andy Costello, Prayers in the Meanwhile

June 15, 2017

INNER  CLOWN 

What socks to put on in the morning?

What mask to wear throughout the day?

My inner clown yells: “Me, Me. Choose me.”

The world needs more clowns - more

humor, more laughter, more tickle,

more seeing the funny side of the street.

FOX News - Comedy Central - Look in the

TV screen called “My Mirror!” You know your

warts and all - so laugh, laugh at yourself.

© Andy Costello, Reflections  2017