HOLY   INNOCENTS

INTRODUCTION

The title of my reflection is: Holy Innocents.

This is a reflection for today: the feast of the Holy Innocents.

We know the story: Herod heard that there was a new born baby boy born in our midst - someone who might take over his power - someone who might take over his prominence - so he calls for the death of all new born baby boys - two years old or younger.

WE KNOW THE STORY

We know the story: number 1’s  don’t like to become number 2’s or 222,222’s.

We know the story: we are neither holy - nor are we innocent.

We know the story: there is always someone better in our midst - someone who will get the job - or the end piece of the birthday care - the piece with more icing - or the end piece of the meatloaf - if that’s the piece we love and have our eye on - or the donut with the raspberry filling.

We know the story: someone always gets better cards or a better roll of the dice in life.

We know the story: someone is always smarter than us - or finds algebra easier - or does the homework - and we didn’t - and so we cheat - making us once neither holy or innocent.

So people abort - babies - we can’t afford the cost - or do the extra for one more kid in our midst.

So people cut down those at work or school or life - who do the more - and we do the less.

When we’re babies we don’t know these things. We’re holy. We’re innocent.  But in time - we start to spot things we don’t like.  We don’t like to stand on line and see others get ahead of us.

What was our first awareness of sin or unfairness or me-first-ism?

What was our first sin?

Was it selfishness?

Was it jealousy?

Was it grabbing the other kids’ toys or dolls or candy or coins on the other kids desk?

When did we make our first real confession - telling God - telling a priest in a dark box - that we didn’t do what our mom or dad asked us to do - just a simple chore?   We wanted what we wanted when we wanted it. We didn’t want to be bothered when we wanted to watch our favorite TV cartoons.

THE READINGS FOR THIS FEAST OF THE HOLY INNOCENTS

When did we realize that today’s first reading is about us: we found it hard to admit we are not innocent - but when we did admit we can be selfish and sinful - we can be healed. [1 John, 5-2, 2]

When was the first time we said, “I did it! I lied. I sinned. I was wrong.”

Does every first child - have Herod feelings - when their parents come home with a new born baby?  Uh oh! I’m about to lose some of my privileges?

When was the first time we saw another look at us and forgive us - because they understood non-innocence- they too had made mistakes - they too learned that Jesus died to deal with all this messy side of life.

Jesus didn’t sleep perfectly every night. He knew darkness - and people who sinned.

Jesus knew morning and light - holiness and innocence.

CONCLUSION

And Mary and Joseph heard the screams of innocent children being slaughtered on their way out of Israel as they headed for Egypt - knowing they will probably hear the same sounds there in Egypt - that their ancestors heard a thousand years earlier before they escaped towards the ever illusive promised land.

December 28, 2018

NICHE

We walk around the room 

till we find a place of rest - 

our niche - but not for the 

rest of the evening - but for now - 

like life …. Sometimes here. 

Sometimes there. Sometimes 

anywhere. We have drink in hand - 

and hors d’oeuvres in the other …. 

our ears open for possible words …. 

connections - conversations. 

Phew …. All alone …. I really don’t 

know anyone in this room.  We’re okay 

for a while - for the time being. Then …. 

we have to move towards the tables. 

There’s more …. There’s always more.

Different people …. Different takes ….

We look at our watch. Next niche….

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2018

December 28, 2018 

Thought for today: 

“You can't talk  to  a person about his or her soul if that person has no food.” 

Words of Wisdom from 

Father Horace McKenna

December 27, 2018

MISTAKE

Mistakes: yep, I make them.

Procrastinatiion, rushing,

laziness, overestimating,

underestimating, or I find

I didn’t listen, or I left one

step out. The solution is

not to say “I’m sorry” but

to get it right the next time.

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2018

December 27, 2018 

Thought for today: 

“In the old days, we would go out in pairs and take care of the Widow Jones who had no bread or the Widow Smith whose rent was due. But now, the poor are a swarm all around us. We can't go out to them. How could you go to sixty homes? How could you go everywhere at once? We have to be ready when they come to us.” 

Words of Wisdom from 

Father Horace McKenna

“GRR” THE SOUND

OF REMEMBERED ANGER

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily is, “’GRR….’ The Sound of Remembered Anger.”

G R R - “Grr” the sound of remembered anger.

What inner sounds do we make when so and so enters the room?”

“Grr” is one such sound.

ST. STEPHEN

Today is the feast of St. Stephen….  As we heard in today’s first reading from the Acts of the Apostles, when St. Stephen walked into a crowd,  some people got angry. [Cf. Acts 6: 8-10, 7, 54-59.]

Acts puts it this way: “When they heard this, they were infuriated, and they ground their teeth at him.”  They got angry at what he was saying in public in his preaching.  He was making Jesus sounds - preaching Jesus words - especially about forgiving one another.

In today’s gospel from Matthew 10:17-22, we hear about people hating Jesus and anyone who tells  his good news.

Notice the first two letters of the word “ground” or “grind”: “Gr”.

The title of my homily is, “’GRR….’ The Sound of Remembered Anger.”

NOTICE YOUR TEETH

Notice jaws. Notice teeth. Notice when we make the “Grr” sound.

There are people who annoy us. There are people whom we bother.

Catch what your mouth does when people who annoy us - or bother us - when we spot them in the room or walking into a room

Saki, the writer said,  “Women and elephants never forget an injury.”

Is that true? I’d assume that it’s both men and women who can’t drop rocks or hurts. Moreover, it’s often an “it all depends”.

Do elephants grind their teeth? I don’t know.

I know humans and dogs do.

Years ago in our house in Washington D.C. the rector had a German Shepherd dog named Bernadette.  Bernadette was also stationed here in Annapolis.  Bernadette was a friendly dog. Father Franny Salmon kept him  on a long, long rope - in the back yard - where the cars were parked. He was there to bark when strangers came through the back lot.

Father F.X. Murphy - who was also stationed here at St. Mary’s - was heading out of our backyard in our place in Washington D.C. In backing out his car, somehow the rope got stuck on the back fender of his car - and he dragged the dog about 6 blocks. People spotting this dragged dog. They were yelling and pointing to Father F.X. for all 6 blocks - before he noticed this.  He put the wounded Bernadette - with sore paws - in the back seat and came back.

I heard that Bernadette would go, “Grrrrrrrrrr!” every time F.X. pulled out in a car from that back lot - for years.

Father Tizio has Wilbur the pug - a pug - who remembers every person who ever gave him a treat.

Question: Do people make any inner sounds - grr - when we walk into a room - because of something we did or said 10 years ago.

CONCLUSION: HOPEFULLY

Hopefully when we walk into a room, people make “happy” sounds and they let their teeth and jaws have a rest.

Hopefully, when people get angry at us, we give them forgiveness smiles, sounds and words - like St. Stephen.

Amen.

December 26, 2018

MEAGER

Meager: now that’s one description

I don’t want ever to hear about myself.

I want abundance  - plenty - an ice

cream cone with at least 2 ½ scoops.

I want people to feel  I am not rushing

them - that I’m listening to them.

God is never meager. Try counting rain

drops or snowflakes or ocean waves.

Try counting leaves and stars and

the shades of every color.

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2018