Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Daily Thoughts - 05/14/2013

Daily Thought: “You are my friends….It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you.”  Two reflections by Jesus in John’s Gospel (John 15:9-17) this morning that I have always given me pause for thought.

On the one hand there is something comforting about being a friend of Jesus. Yes, this friendship demands a lot and is not always easy, but being identified as a friend of Jesus often helps me to know that I am never alone. When you think about it someone who is willing to and did lay down his life for me is not going to walk away from me. The only person who can walk away from this relationship is me!

The second reflection by Jesus is a little more of a struggle. I guess I would prefer to think that I am in control, that I am the one doing the choosing and to a certain extent I have chosen God. However, when I look back over my life I can see the signs of God’s hand, of Jesus’ invitation. I can see God’s plan at work in the story of my life. I am who I am today not because I chose God but because God chose me!

I have come to believe that it is God who does the choosing, extending the invitation to be friends. After all we can put Jesus’ words together with Psalm 139. “O God you probe me and you know….You formed my inmost being: you knit me in my mother’s womb.” Yes, God did the choosing long ago. God chose to create me and Jesus chose me as a friend.

God so loves the world that each of us are fearfully, wonderfully made so as we live this day let us trust in our friendship with God and live the gift that God has created us to be!

Daily Prayer:  Loving Jesus, you have no body now on earth but mine, no hands but mind and no feet but mine. Mine are the eyes through which you look out with compassion on the world. Mine are the feet with which you go about doing good. Mine are the hands with which you bless people now. Jesus you have no body now on earth but mine so through me bless the world today. Amen! (Adapted from St. Teresa of Avila)

Runner’s Thought: “There is a lesson to be learned from running in various emotional states, just as there are lessons to learn from running in a wide range of environmental settings. Don’t shy away from running in an unaccustomed state of mind or an unusual situation. Opportunity for enlightenment often waits in the unfamiliar.” (Roger Joslin)

Tuesday greetings everyone! I hope your day has started off well. Here in Pelham we woke up to a bit of a chill, the good things is that it is May and the chill will not last long. The sun it out and it looks to be another beautiful day. I hope that is the case wherever you are.

I have a lot of paperwork that needs to get done and I have to say I am procrastinating. Writing letters is not my strong suit but thank you letters need to be sent and promotion letter need to be written if I want my ministry to be successful. So if you could offer a little prayer up today for this procrastinators I would appreciate it!

Have a great day everyone, blessings upon your work, your travel, your encounters with others, upon those whom you love and upon you! Peace in Christ’s Passion and Hope in the Risen Lord…Fr. Paul

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