Daily Thoughts: In today's scriptures I find two interesting thoughts. The first centers around Jesus' conversation with Nathanael. Jesus see Nathanael as a truthful, genuine person, he had no duplicity, in other words "what you see is what you get." What Nathanael says is what he does. For Jesus that is refreshing, if we could encounter it today it would be refreshing for us also.
In our world it seems that saying the right thing at the right time is the norm it is very hard to find a person with duplicity. Very few people say what they really mean. We say what we think people want to here because it gets us power, influence, authority and status. I believe we really want to be truthful but at times if we are there is so much to loose.
Yet over and over again in the scriptures we are reminded that truth is what sets us free. It might not get us power, authority, influence, wealth and status in this life but this life is not the only thing we are living for, we are living for a life of eternal love. Truth, authenticity, genuineness are the hallmarks of Jesus' mission and ministry, yes they took him to the Cross but they also took him to the Resurrection.
In the first reading today, John tells us that our journey of faith will not be easy, that we will be hated. However, we shouldn't fear, we shouldn't worry if we make the journey as people with love in our hearts. It is another way of saying that love as we see it and encounter it in Christ casts out fear!
Thus, we are challenged today to live as people without duplicity, to live as people whose actions match our words, to live as genuine people of truth with love in our hearts. The journey will not be easy in fact sometimes it will be down right difficult but the love of God, others and self that we carry in our heart will cast out all our fear!
Daily Prayer: O God of Truth and Love, grace us with the strength to live a genuine life. In those times of struggle and difficulty when we think of wandering from your truth remind us of your everlasting love that casts out all fear. Help us always to cry out to you with hope and joy! Amen!
We continue to pray during this Christmas Season for families in grief; for little ones whose lives were too short; for teachers, administrators and responders who put others first; for a community that must find a way to live; for all of us who seek a world of lasting peace! Amen!
Runner's Thoughts: As you run today let your run become a sacred act in which you run through pain, tiredness, aches and cold not alone but with God.
Have a great Saturday everyone, hopefully you will find sometime in the busyness of life to rest, relax and just enjoy life for a moment! Peace in Christ's Passion...Fr. Paul
PS Just to let you know we are working on a new web site that hopefully will be up and running soon so stay tuned for something new!
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