Wednesday, March 14, 2018


March 14, 2018


Thought for today: 

“Egotism is the  anesthetic that dulls the pain of stupidity.”  



Frank Leary, Look, January 10, 1955

Tuesday, March 13, 2018


THE THIRD SIGN: 
THE  HEALING  OF THE PARALYZED  MAN  
AT THE POOL AT BETHESDA 

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this 4th Tuesday in Lent is, “The 3rd Sign: The Healing of the Paralyzed Man at  The Pool at Bethesda.”

As you know John gives us 7 signs, 7 special miracles. in his gospel.

Yesterday we had the 2nd sign, the Healing of the Royal Official’s Son and yesterday’s gospel also mentions the first sign: Cana, where Jesus changed  water into wine..

Today, let’s concentrate on this 3rd sign in John: the healing of the paralyzed man at the pool of  Bethesda.

38 YEARS

It’s an amazing story: the man has been ill for 38 years.

And Jesus asks him a key question: “Do you want to be well?”

Before that question, I began wondering, “Does anyone have a sickness or a problem that lasts for a long time - like 38 years?”

I remember hearing someone say of a relative, “She talks too much.”

I never noticed that before - but every time after that - I began to notice she talks too much - giving comments on every subject that comes up.”

Is that two problems: telling or making comments about others - and second, talking too much?

38 years is a long time.

Do we all have our lifetime patterns or problems - some of which paralyze us at times?

Like overeating - or drinking too much.

I pick raised skin - usually on my lower arms.  How long have I been doing that?  Sometimes someone seeing that says, “Stop picking!”

Wondering was I doing that in my high chair as a kid after finishing my Cheerios.

I hear someone say of someone, “She’s been picking on her sister all her life - especially giving her sister diets or making comments about her behind her back - forever.”

Could someone be an alcoholic or a picker or jealous or feel inferior for 38 years or 58 years or more  of course?

I knew a guy who was born deaf - and at 24 he got a procedure that helped him hear various sounds - and wow did his face become different.  He had to wear a devise at his hip and a wire in his ear - but he began to hear - and then laugh and his face became an ongoing smile.

I heard a psychologist say once: “The earlier the problem, the bigger problem.”

Do we all have lifetime deafness in some  areas of our life?

Is the oldest, the youngest, the middle child, different because of where they are in the family tree?  Are we different for 38 years or 68 years of life because of what was going on in our family at a certain time of our life?  Is a brother or sister different because they had or had not the benefit of a grandfather or grandmother - and then she or he died or moved or what have you?

Could a mistake or something someone said or how one is treated paralyze a person for 38 years?

Can a death kill us.

CAN I BE HEALED - UNPARALYZED?

Today’s first reading is flooded with water.  Jesus said he was living water.

Could / can I be flooded, Niagara Falls washed, healed, by the flood waters of God and begin to produce fruit on all sides of my life - as today’s reading from Ezechiel  puts it.

SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION


Don’t you love those two scenes near the end of the movie, The Shawshank Redemption  when Andy Fresnene escapes  through the  water pipes - sewer pipes of water - and finally comes out free - baptized - in the waters - in the rain - and he raises his arms in salvation - and freedom - and freedom.and then you see Andy Fresnene  at the vast ocean - in the sunshine freed.

This man in today’s gospel who is sick for 38 years experiences the ocean - the living water - of  God that day.

Something to think about today - and whenever you take a shower or a bath or go to the ocean or a pool.




March 13, 2018 



Thought for today: 

“Voting  is  a  civic  sacrament.” 


Theodore M. Hesburgh, Reader’s Digest, October 1984

March 13, 2018


WATER

The earth is almost 80% water ….
Rain …. A morning shower ….
A drink of cold water on a hot day ….
Lake Superior …. Lake Erie ….
The Mississippi and the Hudson Rivers ….
The Aral Sea and the Salton Sea ….
Water, water. everywhere with lots
and lots of drops of  water to drink ….
So why Lord, did your people spend
40 years in the dessert and why Lord
did you spend 40 days in the dessert
and why did you ask us to spend 40
days of Lent in the dessert when
we can get in the car and get ourselves
to the water - to the bay - to the Ocean?


© Andy Costello, Reflections 2018 


Monday, March 12, 2018


A  REQUEST

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this Fourth Monday in Lent is, “A Request.”

If you heard Jesus was nearby, and you could approach him, and make one request what would it be?

It’s like the old, “You got one wish” stories.

If you had one wish or one request, what would it be?

MAKE A LIST

Don’t blurt out your immediate response. Take your time. Make a list.

Be like a kid standing in an ice cream store - and all those flavors are in those big round containers - right in front of you - behind glass. Pick one.

FOR FAMILY, FRIENDS, OR WORLD

What would be your request?

The royal official from Capernaum - comes to Cana - where Jesus was and asks Jesus to heal his son - who was near death.

And Jesus heals the royal official’s son from a distance.

And the gospel of John for today says, “Now this was the second sign Jesus did when he came to Galilee from Judea.” [Cf. John 4: 43-54]

I don’t know what I would ask for - if I had one request.

For beginners, I would pick some family stuff where people are not talking to people.

Then again, there are people with cancer, who asked for prayers - for healing.  But why not pray for those doing cancer studies so a lot of people will be healed?

I think of one of our priests, Father Dennis Billy, who had bad cancer a few years back - but is doing very well  - is teaching, giving talks,  writing books and is doing good priestly stuff.

I prayed for him and a bunch of people like my niece Margie who is in remission from her cancer.

Or should I pray for so and so that he wake up and change?  How does that work?

WHAT ABOUT THE ACTION SIDE - THE WORK SIDE OF PRAYER?

One of my favorite sayings is, “Pray for potatoes - but pick up a shovel.”

The royal official got in his chariot or however he got to Cana - to make the request in person.

Today’s first reading from Isaiah 65: 17-21 has the Lord talking about creating a new heavens and a new earth.

That triggered the Woody Allen joke comment: “God created the world, except certain parts of New Jersey” 

Aren’t we making God’s prayer come true if we do our part to make our world beautiful. I know I have always been nudged by Buckmister Fuller’s comment: “Whenever you use a public bathroom, make it cleaner than when you walked in.”  I know I have been doing that ever since.  Fuller’s comment always triggers the Golden Rule.  I like a clean stall and sink in a bathroom - so why not make it happen for the next person?  I can do that - and wash my hands afterwards.

CONCLUSION

So that’s my homily. Make a wish. Make a request. Make a prayer. Then pick up a shovel and start digging.
                                                                             
March 12, 2018


OPINIONS

Everyone has different opinions,
perceptions and understandings
about everything.

Everything ….

Everyone doesn’t realize this so
we keep on talking and eating
with each other.

Everyday ….

Everyone has disagreements
now and then and we sense
we’re different for a few moments.

Everyone….

Everyone is different - and to prove
my theory - remember the saying
about no snow flake is alike.

Every snow flake….

 © Andy Costello, Reflections 2018


March 12, 2018



Thought for today: 

“The greatest thing in family life is to take a hint when a hint is intended - and not to take a hint when a hint is not intended.”   


Robert Frost (1874-1963)

Painting on top: Norman Rockwell, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays