January 29, 2019
Thought for today:
“Joy is the most infallible sign of the presence of God.”
Leon Bloy
Tuesday, January 29, 2019
Monday, January 28, 2019
SOME THOUGHTS ABOUT
SAINT
THOMAS AQUINAS
INTRODUCTION
The title of my sermon is, “Some Thoughts About Saint
Thomas Aquinas.”
Today, January 28th, is the feast of St.
Thomas Aquinas - so I asked myself,
“What thoughts hit me when hearing the name of St. Thomas Aquinas?”
HERE ARE SOME
9 COMMENTS
I’m in Italy - getting a guided tour by Father John Ruef
of various Redemptorist holy places. John points out the train window. “See
that hill there. That’s where Thomas Aquinas was from.” All I saw was a hill in
the distance. Everyone has to be from
somewhere? Point to where you’re from.
I’m up the hill in Monte Casino. St. Thomas Aquinas was sent here for studies
as a tiny kid. Later on someone proposed him for abbot of Monte Cassino - a Benedictine monastery - even though he
was a Dominican.
I’m in Cologne, Germany for 1 hour - to see the great cathedral
there. I was told to take a train 1 hour
earlier from Hamburg to Paris - but get off for an hour in Cologne and check
out the Cathedral. St. Thomas was there as a student before the cathedral was
started in 1248 as well afterwards on a return stay after 1250.
I’m in Paris. I had the thought: St. Thomas spent the
heart of his theological teaching here.
If you ever hear some
theologian being condemned - criticized - being called a liberal or a
conservative or modern or what have you - step back and remember that Aquinas
was criticized and condemned by various people in his time. He discovered Aristotle and various other
ways of doing and teaching theology and philosophy - that others did not
accept. In time his outlook and method - called “Scholasticism” ends up being
made the top recommendation for seminarians in the Western world. Around 1960 - when I entered the Major
Seminary - I heard names like Rahner, Congar, Marin-Sola, Haring, Chenu, De Lubac, - being criticized by other church
members. Karl Rahner, for example, was
told he can’t submit his writings for publication. These teachers ended up
becoming the key voices for the Second Vatican Council - and then that cause
uproar as well.
St. Thomas Aquinas’ key theological teaching was: "Nihil est in intellectu quod non sit prius
in sensu." (Nothing is in the intellect that was not first in the senses). That is an essential stance for a way of
thinking - which shows that we value science and the visible.
Another key principle was, “Authority is the
weakest of arguments.” Give me reasons.
If you ever hear someone described as a dummy - remember
Thomas Aquinas was called, “The Dumb Ox.”
If you ever write, remember that Aquinas dumped his stuff - calling it
straw. He burnt it.
CONCLUSION
Just a few ideas
coming from and about St. Thomas Aquinas.
January 28, 2019
This is a well known Basque song.
Here is an English translation:
LETTING GO
AND HANGING ON
They met each other in the third grade, and
once again in the sixth grade and always tried
to sit next to each other in the eight grade
The other kids kidded them when they
saw them talking and walking and holding
hands in the first year of high school.
They fell in love with each other in their last
year of high school and their parents figured
it would end at the end of their senior year.
They went to college far from each other
and in time letters and mail and phone
calls became less and less and less.
Birds fly north and birds fly south
and these just two celebrated their 50th
anniversary this
past July 4th.
©
Andy Costello, Reflections 2019
Tyoria Txori
This is a well known Basque song.
Here is an English translation:
The bird's a bird
If I had cut its wings
It would've been mine,
It wouldn't have gone away.
If I had cut its wings
It would've been mine,
It wouldn't have gone away.
But, that way
It would no longer have been a bird.
But, that way
It would no longer have been a bird.
And I...
Loved the bird.
And I...
Loved the bird.
If I had cut its wings
It would've been mine,
It wouldn't have gone away.
If I had cut its wings
It would've been mine,
It wouldn't have gone away.
But, that way
It would no longer have been a bird.
But, that way
It would no longer have been a bird.
And I...
Loved the bird.
And I...
Loved the bird.
Lara lala...
Sunday, January 27, 2019
CATHOLIC
SCHOOLS
INTRODUCTION
The title of my homily is, “Catholic Schools.”
This week is Catholic Schools Week. Here at St. Mary’s we
do what many Catholic Parishes with Catholic Schools do: We have the kids speak
at the beginning of each Sunday Mass. They
and we thank those who have supported Catholic Schools down through the years
in various ways.
This week there will be programs on different aspects of Catholic
Education in our school. I know I have a High School Mass for St.
Mary’s High School on Monday morning - and the whole grammar school has an Elementary
School Mass on Thursday. That’s tricky - busing all the kids out to St. John
Neumann.
TRICKY REALITY TO TALK ABOUT
Catholic Schools are a tricky topic to talk about.
Many of our people went to and have their kids go to
public school or other private schools.
Some of you might be or have taught and worked in public
or non-religious or other religion private schools.
Some of you are converts.
Then there are Catholic, Public and Private non-Catholic
colleges.
Then there is the cost of Catholic schools.
Then there would be the wondering if this is the best
forum for talking about Catholic Schools.
There are only so many Sundays - and the Sunday Homily -
should be on Spirituality - Social Justice - Morality - Inspiration - Challenge
- Insights - coming out of the readings for that Sunday. So talking about Catholic Schools from the
pulpit - might not be the best of moves.
HISTORY
A first question would be the history of Catholic Schools
in the United States.
Dioceses wanted to make sure our kids got a good
education in the faith -and counter anti-Catholicism in public schools.
You who like to google things - ought to google that.
Part of our United States history has been the enormous
contribution of Catholic Sisters - who worked for very low pay - and it took a
long time for these women to become better trained in education and teaching
techniques. This is part of the background of numerous Catholic women’s colleges
in Maryland and across the country.
New Orleans has some wonderful stories of Ursuline
sisters teaching slave women and freed slaves.
After Vatican II, a lot of nuns left the convent - but
brought their expertise to wherever they settled.
Many all women
colleges became outstanding centers of learning. To survive and diversify, many became
coed. I have a niece who went to
Marywood in Scranton, Pennsylvania - as well as my sister Peggy who became an
IHM nun.
For the history of St. Mary’s schools here in Annapolis,
check out Robert Worden’s book on the history of our parish.
QUESTIONS
& ANECDOTES
Religious education for our Catholic Kids in public
schools always seems to need improvement.
Do we neglect these kids in parishes that have Catholic schools?
What about adult education and adult preparation for
marriages, baptisms, confirmation, knowledge of our faith.
Does Catholic education stop for some after Catholic
school?
I heard someone say somewhere along the line, that the
age for confirmation will never be agreed upon, because sometimes this is the
last time we’ll see some of these kids. Is that true?
I know of one parish that pushes for Adult Catholic and
Christian and religious book clubs. Would we simply tell people to think that
way and go for it. A book a month for about 10 months - works for fiction and
non-fiction books - why not Catholic books?
I heard of one parish that had the following religious Ed
program. Parents or a parent came to a church meeting space once a week -
during the school year - and they took a catechism class and then they taught
that same program in their family. Time wise - schedule wise - would that work.
Could that be done through the TV - with discs or whatever will be next.
One pastor told me that he was pastor of a parish in New
York City and it had an elementary school.
Then he was changed. 10
years or so later he came back as
pastor of that parish - but in the meanwhile the grammar school was
closed. He saw the difference in
leadership in all kinds of groups in the parish. Many had disappeared. So what
impact does a Catholic School have on a parish?
I have met people who attend a weeklong conference on the
Bible or Theology - every year - usually during the summer - in Chicago or
Washington D.C. The National Catholic
Reporter features a 4 to 8 page section two times a year with listings for all
kinds of topics and themes and folks sign up. Why not make that part of one’s
life or one’s retirement?
TODAY’S READINGS
The bottom line is not Catholic schools for the sake of
Catholic Schools.
The bottom line would be Jesus Christ - for all the
members of the body of Christ to be and to become the body of Christ as we
heard in today’s second reading. In any given parish, some are better being
handy. Some are better doing the leg work.
There are many paths. There are many skills. Some are better at being
apostles - or prophets - or teachers - or healers - or assistants - or hearers
- or listeners.
The message of today’s first reading - is that all of us
need to meet on a regular basis to hear the word of God. Ezra in that
first reading gathers everyone at the
Water Gate - and reads from daybreak to midday.
It reminds of me what they used to do in cigar factories
in Cuba and Florida. Someone would be seated on a raised wooden platform and
read out loud during the day - so the
folks would be getting an education.
Notice Ezra the scribe - one who could write - and read to the folks -
from a raised wooden platform.
Notice in today’s gospel,
how Jesus goes into the synagogue and - goes up front. He is handed the
scroll of Isaiah and reads that “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he
has anointed m. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives, recovery of
sight to the blind, and to let the oppressed to go free, and to proclaim a year
acceptable to the Lord.”
Education, Catholic Education, How to education,
Philosophical, Psychological, Sociological Education, Humanistic Education - is good for all of us.
CONCLUSION
I have met about 10 people in my life who have said to
me, “What book are you reading right now?”
What book are you reading right now?
I love the conversion moment message in Augustine’s
Confessions: “Tolle et lege. Tolle et lege. Take and read, take and read.”
There are great books, CD’s, Documentaries, Programs,
Conferences, Movies, that can update and
challenge you as a Catholic - as a human being.
Catholic Schools week is a good week for all of us to hear this - not just school kids. Amen.
Catholic Schools week is a good week for all of us to hear this - not just school kids. Amen.
January 27, 2019
© Andy Costello, Reflections 2019
JEALOUSY
AND ENVY
We mix up those two words,
those two
feelings, all the time.
Jealousy: the fear of losing what I have.
Envy: wanting what you have and I don’t.
I feel jealously when you enter the room
and you want to win the trophy that is mine.
I feel envy when you win the prize or get
the trophy that I expected but you got.
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