Monday, September 9, 2013

Daily Thoughts: 09/09/2013

Daily Thoughts: “I ask you, is it lawful to do good on the sabbath rather than to do evil, to save life rather than destroy it?” (Luke 6:9) This is perhaps an important question for us to consider today as a nation and as a world. What are we about doing good, saving life or doing evil and destroying life? Some might say it is that it is all in how you look at it. That is certainly true when it come to the Middle East and the struggles in Syria.

Yet in the Gospel today that is exactly what Jesus is getting at. How do you look at life? Do you look at with an open mind or a closed mind? Do you look at life through the lens of possibilities or through the lens of only one possibility? The scribes and Pharisees had only one lens through which they looked at life, the law. They could see no other possibilities.

I have always admired people who walk into a situation open to seeing whatever the possibilities are. The might have their opinion but they are also open to what others say and do. They have their own lenses yet they can see other perspectives. Would that we all could see and live life this way!

The scribes and Pharisees only looked through one lens. Jesus was open to all possibilities especially when the possibilities meant life. We pray today that we too with the grace of God will always be open to the possibilities that produce life.

Daily Prayer:
For the expanding grandeur of Creation, worlds known and unknown, galaxies beyond galaxies, filling us with awe and challenging our imaginations: We give thanks this day.

For this fragile planet earth, its times and tides, its sunsets and seasons: We give thanks this day.

For the joy of human life, its wonders and surprises, its hopes and achievements: We give thanks this day.

For our human community, our common past and future hope, our oneness transcending all separation, our capacity to work for peace and justice in the midst of hostility and oppression: We give thanks this day.

For high hopes and noble causes, for faith without fanaticism, for understanding of views not shared, for the gift of many possibilities: We give thanks this day.

For all who have labored and suffered for a fairer world, who have lived so that others might live in dignity and freedom:  We give thanks this day.

For human liberty and sacred rites; for opportunities to change and grow, to affirm and choose: We give thanks this day.

For doing good and saving life: We give you thanks this day.

We pray that we may live not by our fears but by our hopes, not by our words but by our deeds. Loving God, We give thanks this day!
(Adapted from a prayer by O. Eugene Picket)

Runner’s Thought: “Struggling and suffering are the essence of a life worth living. If you're not pushing yourself beyond the comfort zone, if you're not demanding more from yourself - expanding and learning as you go - you're choosing a numb existence. You're denying yourself an extraordinary trip.” (Dean Karnazes)

Isn’t this true also of life and what Jesus challenges us with in the Gospels? Jesus always moved beyond his comfort zone. He always demanded more of himself and those around him. He always asked those who would listen, those who believed, to learn so they could expand their thinking and their life.

Jesus always wants to take us on an extraordinary trip so when we run let’s make sure we take him with us!

Happy Monday everyone! I trust you had a good weekend. I hope your favorite teams won throughout the weekend and if they didn’t, well there is always next time!

I hope you were able to find a little time for God and prayer over the weekend. I had a wonderful Saturday evening from 7pm till midnight. No internet, no cellphone, no TV, just some quite prayer time in our little chapel before the Blessed Sacrament. I prayed for all of you as I also prayed for peace in our world. Please do not stop praying for peace as we I have a long journey and many hearts to change in order to get there! Let’s us pray that our leaders choose the path of good and life as Jesus suggests in the Gospel today!(Luke 6:6-11)

Have a great Monday everyone and may you be blessed throughout this day with the gift of God’s grace to help you be the good person I know that you are! Peace in Christ’s Passion…Fr. Paul

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