Daily Thoughts - 09/04/2013

Daily Thoughts: “We have never preached violence, except the violence of love, which left Christ nailed to a cross, the violence that we must each do to ourselves to overcome our selfishness and such cruel inequalities among us. The violence we preach is not the violence of the sword, the violence of hatred. It is the violence of love, of brotherhood, [of sisterhood,] the violence that wills us to beat weapons into sickles for work.” (Oscar A. Romero, The Violence of Love)

Jesus and Paul in our readings today (Colossians 1:1-8 and Luke 4:38-44) tell us that they have come to proclaim the Good News. They do it in different ways but their goal is always to bring the Good News to whomever they meet, whether it is the community of believers at Colossae or the people in Capernaum or the many towns beyond.

The Good News that Jesus and Paul bring is the same Good News brought by Bishop Oscar Romero many centuries later. It is the Good News of love. It is the Good News of the Cross. It is the Good news of community. It is the Good News of no more war!

I believe there comes a point in a believer’s life when we need to say enough. Enough violence! Enough war! Enough hate! Enough disrespect for life! If we are truly a great silent majority, if we truly want a world based on peace then it is time to say enough with one great voice! It is time to proclaim and live the Good News.

Daily Prayer:

Lord, take us where You want us to go;
Let us meet who You want us to meet;
Tell us what You want us to say; and
Keep us out of your way. Amen
(Adapted from a prayer by Fr. Mychal Judge)

Runner’s Thought: “There are no standards and no possible victories except the joy you are living while dancing your run. You are not running for some future reward-the real reward is now!” (Fred Rohe, The Zen of Running) And you are not running for some experience of God in the future when you run you are running with God now! So enjoy the company!

Uh Oh, Guess what day it is! Guess what day it is! Whoop Whooo! Yes, it is Wednesday…it is Hump Day! It is also only one more day until our new dishwasher comes! Whoop Whooo! And there is nobody happier than a camel and a house waiting for a new dishwasher today!

I hope all of you are find and survived your first day of school or work after the long Labor Day weekend. I hope you have gotten back into the swing of things wherever you are.

Once again I ask you to continue to pray for peace! As I mentioned yesterday I am going to take some time on Saturday to be in solidarity with Pope Francis and pray for peace. I will be fasting Saturday afternoon and evening, I hope to run 15 miles and I will be praying before the Blessed Sacrament for 7:00 pm until 12 midnight in our little chapel here in Pelham. I would ask all of you to do something special for peace on Saturday too. It doesn’t have to be anything long or involved. It can be simple and short, just do something different with an intention for peace.

Have a great Wednesday – Hump Day everyone and please know as always you are in my prayers! Peace in Christ’s Passion…Fr. Paul