Yet, Jesus often sat, talked, ate and
was found in the company of public sinners and people at odds with the faith
community. Situations that the religious leaders of his time thought were
bringing scandal. Jesus’ statement to the Pharisees today seems to indicate
that these are the very people he came to encounter and help. Why is that not
the same today? Why are we not willing to be present to people who need help
today? Do we not trust God’s presence? Do we not trust that people can change?
Do we not think that people can be affected by what we bring to a moment though
faith? Must people always believe first before we are willing to talk to them
or be in their presence? Do we really not value our own witness of faith?
Jesus did not convert every person he
met. He did not change the attitudes, the opinions or the actions of every
person he encountered. Jesus simply was willing to listen, to share, to be
present to and to treat all people as God’s children. He was willing to break
bread, to share a meal and hope that through the encounter a person’s heart
might change.
I realize that none of us are Jesus,
however if we are true disciple should we not humbly follow in his footsteps
and trust in our faith, in our witness to the Gospel?
Daily Prayer: Compassionate
Jesus, you are alive and at large in our world, help us to follow and find you
as we live our life today. Help us to find you in the people we meet; the place
we go; the work we do and in the plans we make. Gift us with the grace to be
one of your disciples so that we might see with your eyes, hear the questions
you ask and welcome all people with your trust and love. Give us the patience,
compassion and wisdom to change the things that contradict God’s love through
the power of the cross and the freedom of your Spirit. Amen! (Adapted from a prayer by John V.
Taylor)
Runner’s Thought: As we run today
let us listen to ourselves, let us run with hope and joy, let us make each step
an offering of our heart in which the imprint of God in our life is made
present.
Happy Friday everyone! I hope you had a
nice 4th of July yesterday and enjoy the gift of the day. I am
making ready to leave for Mount Holly, NJ later today as I will be helping out
at Sacred Heart Parish beginning tomorrow morning until next Saturday evening.
It will be a nice change of pace for me in the midst of a slow summer. I look forward
to celebrating mass each day and helping the faith community of Sacred Heart in
any way possible.
I would bet many of you are enjoy a day
off today because of the holiday yesterday. It makes for a nice long weekend. I
hope you will use this time well to enjoy family and friends, to rest and relax
and perhaps just to take a deep breath and slow life down a little. If you are
some place like the west or now the east where the temps are hot and the heat
index is high please be careful. Here in Pelham we have a heat advisory today so
my workout will be at the gym!
Have a great Friday! Peace in Christ’s
Passion…Fr. Paul
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