CHRISTMAS GREETINGS

December 23, 2017

SOMETIMES  GOD

Sometimes God winks through

a morning cloud in the east  - in

a shaft of light - dawn, “Here I am.”

Sometimes God waves to us with a baby’s

hand and a smile from a shopping cart

in the bread aisle at the supermarket.

Sometimes God seems to be hiding

in the hospital waiting room or in the

dark night of my soul - way past midnight.

Sometimes God, I doubt your presence,

that is, till I kneel there at the Christmas

crib and it dawns on me: you are… I am.

© Andy Costello, Reflections  2017

December 22, 2017

EVERY TABLE

Salt and pepper on every table….

Better: love, talk about the day …

and bread and wine becoming

the Body and Blood of Christ  -

at every meal - every  table -

in every marriage - every family.

Amen. Come Lord Jesus.

© Andy Costello, Reflections  2017

December 21, 2017

CONSEQUENCES

Everything has consequences:

a scratched match, side alley gossip,

promises made with a drink in the

blood, a lie we know to be untrue,
a prayer, a curse, a question,

and a key vote at a crucial meeting.

© Andy Costello, Reflections  2017
Painting: Degas, In a Cafe

December 20, 2017

EDGES

Rocks, water, woods, walkways,

along the edges of our lives -

remind us that there are limits.

Fences, walls, rules and regulations,

signs, saying “Closed” or  “Dead End,”

tell us there are edges beyond

which we cannot go.  Not yet ….

Yet our eyes and our minds see

what's on the other side of fences 
and the beyond - beyond our boundaries.

It’s then we know we are made  

in your image and likeness, O God.

It’s then we know these are only the

edges of endings which never end.

© Andy Costello, Reflections  2017

HEROES

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for December 19^th  is, “Heroes.”

“Heroes.”

Today’s two readings give us two big bible heroes: Samson and John the Baptist.

They are placed together here in our readings for today, because both have similar stories.

Both readings begin with moms who were barren - without a child - and then there is a promise of a child. After their birth, the story of Samson and John the Baptist growing up have incidents of surprise and strange patterns of eating.

And if you put both readings side by side you can see Luke knew the story of Samson in the Book of Judges.  For example Samson’s mom is told to be careful and take no wine or strong drink and to eat nothing unclean. John the Baptist in turn is described as drinking neither wine nor strong drink.

Then we read in the Book of Judges and the gospel of Luke what made them heroes.

QUESTIONS

Do we all have heroes?

In growing up do we all need heroes?

Who have been our heroes?

Then the big question: have we ever done anything heroic?

HEROES

The bible presents us with some amazing heroes.

Our Catholic church presents us with many heroes, especially the saints.

Our sports world and our world history provides us with outstanding examples of presidents like Abraham Lincoln and Nelson Mandela.

Of course there are degrees  and disagreements about heroes.

Heroes are big sandwiches with the right ingredients: integrity, leadership, security, saving others, giving hope to others.

Heroes  provide support, hope,  victory, and courage. They give us nerve. They   embolden  us. They help us to be unafraid.

They are givers not takers. 

They are movers and they are shakers.

They teach us how to live and how to die.

MOVING TOWARDS A CONCLUSION

The title of my homily is, “Heroes.”

It used to be a title just for men - and heroines for women. Now the title, "heroes" works for both men and women.

Thanks for listening. I want to do some more thinking about the topic - especially the question, “Who have been my heroes?”

I grew up as the youngest and my brother was the oldest of us four. Like most younger brothers I lived in my brother’s shadow - but it wasn’t till his cancer - which began with a doctor giving him the news - ironically - on a Good Friday, “You have 18 months to live at the most.” I asked him then and there, “How are you going to deal with this?”  His answer: “I’ll let you know.”

It was how he dealt with death and his cancer treatments that I realized he was a hero to me. Near his death, he said to me, “You asked me how I would deal with this. Well, thank God for mom and dad who gave us faith.” Then he added, “Besides faith, I tried humor. I tried to think only of others. Also I did my exercise and whatever the doctors told me to do.”

CONCLUSION

So give the idea of heroes some thought.

Check out Davie Bowie’s song, “Heroes” as well as Bette Midler’s song, “Wing beneath my wings.”

December 19, 2017

HINGE

Lord, please be a hinge ….

A secure hinge - with tightened screws -

holding up the door - firmly - the door

that opens and closes between us.

“Knock, knock!” “Who’s there?” “Me!”

“Will you please open up to me right now?”

©  Andy Costello, Reflections  2017