September 2, 2018 

Thought for today: 

“The smaller the function, the greater the management.” 

C. Northcote Parkinson [1909 - 1993]

September 1, 2018

Thought for today: 

"It's so hard to forget pain, but it's even harder to remember sweetness. We have no scar to show for happiness. We learn so little from peace."

Church Palahniuk, Diary

GLORY TO GOD 

IN THE HIGHEST 

Why wait till Christmas,
why  wait till Sunday,
why not sing Glory to God
in the highest right now -
as we bring peace to people 
of ill will or good will - Christ 
the Lord, - this day and 
every day. Amen.

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2018

STUPID, STUPID, STUPID 

SMART, SMART, SMART 

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this 21 Friday in Ordinary Time is, “Stupid, Stupid, Stupid, Smart, Smart, Smart.”

If you’re anything like me, you say at least  a dozen times a year, “Stupid, Stupid, Stupid.”

I miss an appointment or say the wrong thing or can’t find my keys.

Or sometimes I or we say, ‘Dumb, dumb, dumb.”

Meaning: “How could I be so dumb?”

Next, making a jump, I don’t know if we ever say, “Smart, Smart, Smart.”

Okay, we might say that once every 10 years - especially when we do something smart. Smile, it could be a moment when we do something - and we realize at the moment we were not dumb. We didn’t do dumb. We did smart.

When we say, “Smart, Smart, Smart” - we might think we shouldn’t say that, because it’s not right. That’s more like the sin of pride.”  And we all want to avoid criticisms like: “Who does she think she is?”

In the meanwhile, we rather go for humility and keep saying,  “Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.”

But is that humility? Because there is that saying, “Humility is truth.”

And the truth might be there are times when we’re smart.

TODAY’S READINGS

Today’s readings triggered these thoughts.

In the first reading for today, 1^st Corinthians 1: 17-25, Paul talks about wisdom and foolishness.

The word “wisdom”  and the word “wise”  are used 10 times in this English translation of today’s first reading. In the Greek text  - the Greek words used are “sophia” and “sophos”.

 In today’s gospel, Matthew 25: 1-13, our English  translation uses the word wise - in describing the five wise virgins - but the Greek word is not “sophos”.  The word is “phronismos” - which in my opinion is better translated “prudent”.

The word for foolishness “moros” in Greek - is the same in both readings.

I know you were dying to hear all this - whereas I’ve read it’s not wise in preaching to bring in Greek words.

WISDOM

The title of my homily is, “Stupid, Stupid, Stupid, Smart, Smart, Smart.”

An obvious message would be: Wisdom is a goal in everyone’s life

We hear this all through the scriptures and I’m sure all through our early life from our parents and our teachers.

Jesus often calls out people to be wise.

So that’s a desired goal in life.  

It’s a goal and a hope in Israel’s library - in the scrolls called: the wisdom literature.

I would think the call would be to be wise in relationships, use and attitude wards  money, and how we use or manage or balance our time.

I would think it would be good to know what skills we have - and to look to where we can share our talents. An obvious skill is to grow in wisdom, age and grace.

This is a good area to talk to our peers, parents, and counselors about.

It would be wise to figure out who the wise are.

It would be wise to find out from others what others are skilled in and to give them “atta girl’s” or “atta boy’s”.

CONCLUSION

One last message from all this would be to pause and look at our life and say, “Stupid, Stupid, Stupid”  where we are dumb and to say, “Smart, Smart, Smart” - where we are smart.  But, of course,  it would be smart to talk to each other about all this - and maybe then we’ll get a better handle on the wisdom of life and others see us performing. Amen.

August 31, 2018 

Thought for today: 

“Anyone  can  write one book: even politicians do it. Starting a second book reveals an  intention to be a professional writer.” 

Len Deighton  [1929 - ]

August 31,  2018

INSIDE

Hey, you never know  what’s inside. 

We hesitate at the door before we open it.

I bet the person who never had watermelon 

before ever expected it was red inside.

Hey pumpkins and some melons are orange inside.

Some people we thought nasty inside -

we find out they are nice inside - even

it they are not worried about God

or if Santa Claus is watching.

Me too sometimes.

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2018

August 30, 2018

PREFERENCES

Isn’t that another interesting thing

about us people: we have preferences.

It’s wonderful, when it works out

or when we can make adjustments.

Some like the end piece of the

meatloaf. Some don’t. Wonderful.

Some like NBC; some like CNN.

Some like FOX - uh oh! Smile.

Some like the Early Mass,

some like the Evening Mass.

Some have given up on God and

some are discovering God’s Presence.

Some like the Father, some the
Son and some the Holy Spirit.

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2018