January 16th Daily Thoughts - 01/16/2013

Daily Thoughts: Sorry for being a little late with my thoughts today but there is a bug going around our small community and today it was my turn, so I spent a good part of the morning in bed!

Healing and casting out demons, seem to be the work of the day for Jesus. I was thinking of another line in the Gospel as I read this Gospel passage at mass this morning. The line I thought of was, "The poor you will always have with you." (Matthew 26:11 and Mark 14:7) I thought Jesus could have easily said, "The sick and demons you will always have with you!"

There is always healing that needs to be done, people struggling physically, emotionally and spiritually. Sometimes when I am day dreaming I wish Jesus would walk into our midst and begin to heal or that he would give me the temporary power to heal because there are some many people who could use it!

And demons, they seem to be everywhere these days, if only Jesus were here to cast them out what a different place the world could be. It amazes me that the demons always seem to know Jesus and yet often the people in his presence don't.

Yet, there is another Gospel passage that also comes to mind, "Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be taken up and cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen, it will be granted him." (Mark 11:23) In other words the power to heal and cast out demons is here we have just got to believe and not doubt.

So remember as you go through this day, the "force," the power, the presence of Jesus is always with us to heal and to cast out demons we just have to believe!

Daily Prayer: O God, we are a struggling people and we want to believe, help us in our moments of unbelief so that we might truly bring your healing presence to all who need it in this world. Amen!

Runner's Thought: As you run today remember that running is something that only you can do, no one can do it for you.  So make it part of your faith take God with you!

Have a great day everyone! I hope all is well where you are. Many blessings upon your endeavors today and if you are not feeling well my prayers are with you, it is the least I can do as I try to heal! Peace in Christ's Passion...Fr. Paul