Daily Thoughts: "If today you hear [God's] voice, harden not your hearts." The response for the psalm today seems to say it all. In the first reading the faith community has harden their hearts toward God. They are not listening or responding to the word or presence of God. In the Gospel there are some who have hardened their hearts for they cannot recognize God in their midst.
In the opening talk of my missions, I talk about how we at times harden perhaps not our whole heart but pieces or areas of our hearts. The primary reason is because we have been hurt and we harden ourselves so that we cannot be hurt again. Sometimes the hurt comes from another person, or a group of people, or an institution or from someone or something outside of us. Yet often we think the hurt comes from God and we harden our hearts to the grace, the word, and the presence of God. In doing this we very often miss the opportunity to experience the presence and the gift of God in our life.
Jesus reminds the people today that bad things do not come from God. God only wants good for us. God loves us, created us and desires a relationship with us. It is the world around us that can hurt. It is often the world within us that can hurt.
We don't want to make the mistakes of our ancestors that are talked about in our first reading from Jeremiah today. We don't want to make the mistake of the people who question were Jesus is from in today's Gospel. We want to open our hearts, make our hearts places of nothing but good soil so that when we encounter God, when we hear God's voice the grace, word, strength, blessing and presence of God will be planted within us and grow producing a harvest that is hundred fold.
Please as you journey through this day do not harden your hearts but be open to hear God's voice and encounter God's presence in your life!
Note: Today is the feast day of two very strong and important women in the early Church, Perpetua and Felicity. They were two women who did not harden their hearts to God even in the midst of what was going on around them, even when the world took everything from them. These were women of great strength and great faith. We call upon their spirit to be with us as we journey through this day!
Daily Lenten Prayer: Almighty and eternal God, may we always walk in your ways but especially as we begin this new day. Enliven our hearts so that they will not be hardened by the struggles, hurts, pains and difficulties of life. Help our hearts to remain open to hearing your Word and recognizing your presence. Too often because of life we begin to wander away from you, too often do we fail to hear you or recognize your presence in our life. Help us today to walk, to live in the spirit of Perpetua and Felicity so that we will always have the strength to walk, to live in your ways and hear your voice. Bless us with the gift of your Holy Spirit of hope this day and always! Amen!
Runner's Thought: Running can give us an inner strength that can change our life. Just putting in the time, finishing a run can have an enlivening effect on your confidence and self-esteem. Running can also touch us in a spiritual way that makes us aware of God's presence in our life!
Happy Thursday everyone! I trust that if you were in the midst of the storm yesterday you made the best of it. If you were not I hope you had a great day. We were able to finish the mission last night it was a smaller crowd but yet a great closing celebration! In a couple of hours I will be headed back north to Pelham so that I can stop at home, do laundry and repack and regroup to leave on Saturday again for my next mission. Lent is a busy time but at least I am staying out of trouble for the most part!
I am hoping all of you have a blessed day. May it be rich in many life-giving experiences, in many faith filed people and touch with the gifts of hope and love. Be well and safe my friends, enjoy your day and know you are in my prayers! Peace in Christ's Passion...Fr. Paul
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