Saturday, April 7, 2018


April 7, 2018


FIRST AND LAST WORDS

There are times we wonder about 
parting words. I hope mine won't be, “No!”

Last words, “Yes!” I hope mine will
be, “I love you” -  never “I hate you.”

I hope mine will be, “I’m sorry!” -
never, “I’ll never forgive you.”

I celebrate that my last words to
my brother were, “I love you.”

That was before he underwent
his brain cancer operation. Oooh!

My mom? I hope it was, “I love you!” I don’t
remember what I said that last phone call.

I didn’t know she was to be killed this day
in a hit and run accident crossing the street.


© Andy Costello, Reflections 2018
In memory of my mom who died
this day, April 7, 1987 - walking
to church in Brooklyn N.Y. 


April 7, 2018 









Thought for today: 

“The  first  question which the priest and the Levite asked was: ‘If I stop to help this man, what will happen to me?’ But… the good Samaritan reversed the question: ‘If I do not stop to help this man, what will happen to him?’" 


Martin Luther King Jr.

Friday, April 6, 2018


April 6, 2018

LONG  DISTANCE

Long distance ….

Two words used for the longest time -
when talking about phone calls ….

Long distance ….

Not now - long distance phone calls are easy -
now just inches away from ear and heart.

Long distance ….

Looking back I think of people I knew and
began to forget and they became long distance.

Long distance ….

Some are buried in a fancy box - under a
heavy stone in a rain or snow covered grave.

Long distance ….

God - sorry to say - you too have become
long distance - that is, till we …. I’m calling ….

Long distance ….

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2018




BREAKFAST  WITH  JESUS


INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this Friday in Easter Week  is,  “Breakfast With Jesus.”

Today’s Gospel is one more interesting story in the Gospel of John.  There are many more. Here are a few:

Wedding Feast at Cana - 6 large water jars;
Woman caught in Adultery and the stones in hand and Jesus writing in the earth; 
Woman at the well;
Nicodemus at night;
Blind man whose parents wouldn’t vouch for him;
the last supper and the washing of feet;
and here breakfast with Jesus.

FOOD MOMENTS

Here are 7 possible food moments with each other: breakfast, lunch, supper - a cup of tea and scones, a coffee break, a drink together and going out for ice cream.

To be human is to do interesting things - often with food.

To be human is to do interesting things - usually with others.

To be human is to do life in relationships, friendships, and meetings.

Here in John 21:1-14 we have this interesting story that takes place at the Lake of Galilee. Its key characters are Peter and Jesus.

WORKING - WITHOUT ANY LUCK

At times in life, people work hard, but they get no catches.

Salesmen and saleswomen of the world tell me your stories.

DETAILS IN THIS  STORY

This story has interesting details: 153 large fish, bread and a charcoal fire.

Then there is the invitation, “Come have breakfast together.”

A GOOD QUESTION: WHAT HAVE YOU CAUGHT IN YOUR LIFE?

What have you caught in life? List 153 things.  

Caught a good milk shake place on Route 30 near Crestline, Ohio.  Caught a truck driver in Pennsylvania on Christmas Day off Route 80. He was just sitting there eating alone at a truck stop. I was alone, so I asked to join him. We had a great conversation about family. He said he had to make a living - driving a truck - far from home on Christmas day.  I met Leo Cravatta, a great Italian plumber from West Pittston Pa on a religious retreat at Tobyhanna, Pennsylvania. Is he still alive?  Had breakfast with my sister Mary a dozen times in Virginia Beach and she doesn’t like to go out to eat.

What have been your breakfasts?  Could you list 153 of them?

Is breakfast with the boys at Burger King or McDonalds or the Diner or Chick and Ruth’s one of the best blessings of retirement.  Do men do that more than women?  I don’t know.

Looking at your life, what have you caught? Whom have you met? Did you have any moments like today’s gospel from John 21: 1-14?

What would it be like to have breakfast with Jesus?  Who would do the talking? What would be the topics and themes.

If Jesus asked you, “What have you caught?” What have you netted?  How would you answer that baby?

What is your favorite breakfast?  Would you take fish?

In today’s gospel, it says none his disciples dared to ask Jesus, “Who are you?”  Would you dare to ask Jesus that question: Try it.

Would Jesus dare to ask you that question?

Obviously, Jesus went fishing and caught Peter.

Has God ever caught you?  Please describe?

For example ….

It was a dark church in Cincinnati and I just happened to walk into that church on a Wednesday afternoon and I felt overwhelmed by God and ....

It was an early morning moment when I was fishing and God ....

It was a clear star moon lit night and I was alone walking the dog and I looked up at the dark star filled night sky and Jesus ....

It was something a priest once said in a sermon and ....

CONCLUSION

In this homily of sorts I gave some random questions and comments coming out of today’s gospel.

I’m just fishing.

Can the whole of life be summed up with two words, “Gone Fishing?”

April 6, 2018 

Thought for today: 





"I  came  to the conclusion that there is an existential moment in your life when you must decide to speak for yourself; nobody else can speak for you.” 

Martin Luther King Jr.

Thursday, April 5, 2018



RADIANCE

The glisten in a wedding ring,
the bouncing light off a marble table top,
the color green in her eyes,
the faces of graduates, brides and grooms,
on their big day. Sensing God’s creative
energy on a snowy day, a rainy day, any day….
God don’t let me not see your radiance today.


© Andy Costello, Reflections 2018


April 5, 2018 

Thought for today: 



“In the End, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.”

Martin Luther King, Jr.