August 17, 2018 

Thought for today: 

“Hypocrisy is the most difficult and nerve-racking vice that any man can pursue; it needs an unceasing vigilance and a rare detachment of spirit.  It cannot like adultery or gluttony, be practiced at spare moments; it is a whole time job.” 

W. Somerset Maugham 

[1874-1965], 

from Cakes and Ale (1930), 

chapter 11.

August 16, 2018

TEA  BAG

Sometimes we are like a tea bag.

We’re in hot water  - and the hot

is coming at us from all sides.

We’re hurting. We’re feeling “Oooh!”

for the moment - as the heat seeps

into us and we are changed.

Then someone picks us up -

in a cup - and takes a sip of us -

as they go, “Uuum. Nice.”

It’s then we know - the meaning

of the old saying “It’s in dying

that we are born to eternal life.”

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2018

August 16, 2018 

Thought for today: 

“You don’t make up for your sins in church; you do it in the street, you do it at home. The rest is bullshit and you know it.”  

Martin Scorsese [1942 -  ] 

and Mardik Martin 

in Mean Streets (1973 film) 

in Michael Bliss Martin Scorsese 

and Michael Cimino (1985) Chapter 3.

August 15, 2018

OUR TAINTED NATURE’S

SOLITARY BOAST

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this feast of the Assumption is, “Our Tainted Nature’s Solitary Boast.”

That’s a boast, a comment, in a poem by William Wordsworth.

The poem is entitled, “The Virgin.”

I’ve noticed that comment in many sermons by many priests about Mary.

FEAST OF THE ASSUMPTION

Today we celebrate the Feast of the Assumption of Mary into Heaven - body and soul - however that works.

It’s one of the earliest titles and feasts of Mary in the Church - but it wasn’t till 1950 - that it was declared a Dogma - a Dogmatic teaching.

MARY: WE CATHOLICS GET HER

I come from a parish in Brooklyn, Our Lady of Perpetual Help.

We are in a parish here in Annapolis, Maryland, with the title of St. Mary’s.

We are Catholics and Mary is very much part of our life as Catholics - from names of parishes, to statues, to the rosary.

Some non-Catholics don’t get it - why we honor Mary so much.

She is not God. Some think that’s what we think. We don’t.

BOASTING  VS.  OH NO!

I think the comment in a poem “Our tainted nature’s solitary boast” can get us right into the middle of a most human need and reality.

We boast about our best; we put our head down about our worst.

We boast about Mary - who was our best - and in hopes we do our best.

She was presence - there for the whole life of Christ - from his birth till his death - from Christmas to  Good Friday.

She was in the crowd and in his eye sight - when he walked Israel and talked to Israel.

She thought of others at Cana - she thought of him and was there for him  on the way to Calvary.

We need people in our lives who are models and whom we can boast about.

PRIEST  SCANDALS  IN  PENNSYLVANIA

Yesterday was a horrible day for us priests - with the newspapers stuff about Pennsylvania.

Those we looked up to failed us.

I’m sure when people drove down Duke of Gloucester St. yesterday and today - when they saw this church - some of the news’ stories out of Pennsylvania  tainted this church building.

The pastor got e-mails that we better say something about all this - maybe come Sunday.  People look up to us to say something about all this - because this is a downer for us Catholics.

So today, that’s an opening salvo of quick comments today.

CONCLUSION

We priests are tainted - maybe that’s why we need someone completely untainted, Mary - and we boast about her - so on this feast we celebrate God taking her home to heaven - untainted. Amen.

__________________________


Painting on top: The Assumption of the Virgin, by Francesco Botticini [1475-1476] in Florence

August 15, 2018

ASSUMPTIONS

As we have all heard,

when we assume we

can make an ass out

of each other: u  me.

Yet, we need to make

assumptions,  to make

it a go - as we go through

life - with each other.

I assume you want it

to work. I assume that

you are listening.
I assume that you care.

I assume we will make

mistakes and I assume

that you will forgive me

when I fail or mess up.

I assume good will.

I assume patience.

I assume respect.

I assume love.

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2018

August 15, 2018 

Thought for today: 

“A poem is  never  finished; it’s always an accident that puts a stop to it - i.e. gives it to the public.” 

Paul Valery [1871-1945] 

Litterature (1930), page 46.  

In French, “Un poeme n’

est jamais acheve - 

c’est toujours un accident 

qui le termine, c’est-a-dire 

qui le donne au public.”

DENTS

I see the dents and scratches,

on the different cars that shoot

and slide by me on the streets

and highways of life. “Uooh!”

I miss the dents and scratches

and scars on the different people

who shoot and slide by me on the

stairs and sidewalks  of life. “Uooh!”

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2018