I remember during the Holy Year in honor
of St. Paul I was reading an article by a scripture scholar who said the Paul
was not very imaginative with his examples and images. Back then and now I
would disagree with that scholar. When you look over Paul’s letters and
consider the images he used in order to make his point often they are images
that come out of everyday life. They are images that every person listening
would be able to relate to. Paul spoke to the common person and in doing so
tried to make his ideas, his words understandable through the images of everyday
life.
Everyone would have known what an
earthen vessel was. The probably saw them and used them daily. A simple earthen
container with weathered by life with chips, cracks and flaws. Fragile pieces
of pottery formed out of the clay of the earth by skilled and loving hands. Yet, Paul takes these simple objects of
everyday life and turns them into wonderful images of our relationship with
God. We are the earthen vessels, formed by the Great Potter’s hand out of the
clay of the earth. We have our faults, failings, our chips and cracks but
within us is a great treasure, the presence of God.
What a hopeful and wonderful way to
think of ourselves. Yes, we are fragile, yes we have our faults and failing,
yes we are chipped and flawed but because of God’s presence, God’s grace, God’s
love we are never alone. As Paul puts it, “We are afflicted in every way, but
not constrained; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not
abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.”
We carry within the dying of Jesus and the life of Jesus. We carry
within us the profound love of God.
May we carry within us, may we live, this
special gift today in these earthen vessels to the glory of God!
Daily Prayer: Loving God, we
thank you for the good news that we carry within us your loving presence. Help
us to live today through your Spirit of love. Help us to grow a real and living
faith so that we may come to know your living presence and loving power. God,
grace us, your earthen vessels, with the wisdom to trust and hope that the
surpassing power by which we live is from you. Amen!
Runner’s Thought: Samuel
Shoemaker once said, “Prayer may not change things for you, but it for sure
changes you for things.” Perhaps the same thing is true about running and what
might happen if we put the two together! So make your run a prayer.
TGIF everyone! I hope the day has
started off well for you, if not please know my prayers are with you. May the
second half of today be better and brighter. We still find ourselves cool and
wet here in Pelham. Sky might be getting a little brighter but maybe that is me
just being optimistic. I hope you weathered the storms yesterday if they came
by you. I hope you are ready for a relaxing weekend.
As always I pray that God blesses you
today, in your work, your ministry, your travels, your experiences, your
relationships and your living of life. Remember the gift you carry with you –
trust, hope, laugh, smile, love, and live today and always. Peace in Christ’s
Passion…Fr. Paul
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