June  2,   2020

SOMEWHERE OVER THE RAINBOW

Where will I go - when I die?

Into a death card - name and dates -

and a prayer now and then - I hope ….

Into a memory - jumping out of

a conversation - by old friends ….

Into a photograph - on a bookshelf -

and on an iPhone for a while ….

Into acts of kindness - that I tried - 

before I died and you - caught that spirit …

In my jigsaw puzzle - God smiles at  - in its

box - which he still treasures on his window sill ….

And I better add:  sitting  somewhere on the

biggest table – God’s table – in our forever ….

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2020

June   2,  2020 

Thought  for  Today 

 “If you don’t place your foot on the rope,  you’ll never cross the chasm.” 

Anonymous

PERPETUAL   HELP 

MOTHER   OF   THE   CHURCH

Mary, as I ponder your many titles,

as I wonder about your many names,

I stop for a moment at some of them:

Our Lady of Sorrows and Perpetual Help,

Full of grace and the call to do something

when newlywed couples run out of wine

or folks are hungry for some daily bread.

Mary, Mother of the Church and Mother

of Perpetual Help, remind us, that it be done to us –

what was done to you, that we be there for others

at cribs and crosses or when someone needs

an eye of recognition  in a crowd or when they need

a breath of fresh air – having fallen or been pushed down

once more on dark macadam hard streets of death. Amen. 

©  Andy Costello  Prayers

June   1,   2020


"You  can't ring the bells and,  at the same time,  walk in the procession."

Spanish Proverb

May 31, 2020

PENTECOST  2020

Gone Holy Spirit ….

It seems like the in and out

of breath has left our lungs –

and we are speechless –

has fled our sails –and

we are stuck on this side

of the lake – has  been locked

and hidden in our upper rooms –

with plywood panels boarding

up our windows ….

Come Holy Spirit ….

Wind - Holy Breath of God –

Fresh Air – wherever you are -

breathe into us – Genesis us –

RUAH  us – rush into us -

fill us - so that  we

can shout out new words ….

Fill our sails so we can head

for new shores  …. Open our windows

so we can look out at blue skies beyond us.

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2020

May  31,  2020

Thought  for  Today

“I  got  the blues thinking of the future, so I left off and made some marmalade.  It’s amazing how it cheers one up to shred oranges and scrub the floor.”

D.H. Lawrence

May 30, 2020

WANTING  SIGNS

“Okay”, said God, "here are a few….”

A really fast dog….

A kid gets a kite flying on a windy day ….

Leaves with resting rain water drops ….

The scent of raisin cinnamon toast ….

A magnolia tree in May ….

Three little girls playing jump rope ….

A kid moving from the high chair to the main table ….

Big sucker  chocolate chip cookies ….

Putting in the last piece of a 1000-piece jigsaw puzzle ….

An old man with a cane getting to the top step ….

Bowling for the first time and getting a strike ….

Watching a camp fire with the family – 9 at night …. 

Riding in a red convertible – open top ….

Seeing the ocean for the first time ….

Taps at the grave – at a military funeral ….

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2020