Daily Thoughts: "Love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you..." Probably some of the hardest words of the Gospel to put into practice. Perhaps on an intellectual level some of us might understand them. Maybe when we heard them proclaimed at mass we might give them some thought. However when it comes to living, the vast majority of the time, these words do not find their way into how we look at life.
Enemies are not people to invest love in. People who persecute us do not find their way into our prayers. Most of the time these days we trash them on Facebook or Twitter, we gossip about them and find any way we can to discredit them, to demonize them. The 24 hour news stations like FOX, MSNBC and the like will give you all the ammunition that you need! Living Jesus' words is leaving one's self open to all kinds of bad things. It reflects weakness in a world built on strength, power and being number one. We can point to many examples were others tried to be nice, try to follow Jesus' advice and were persecuted, hurt, overrun, sent into slavery, exiled, lost all they had and end up worse than they started off. We can point to wars and conflicts that escalated into world problems because people didn't act with strength, force and might.
Living by Jesus' words seems to make us vulnerable and weak in the eyes of the people around us and the eyes of the world and to be honest with you I cannot dispute it. However, if we read a little further in the Gospel we might say in some ways Jesus is not talking about world problems and issues between nations or complex situations. Jesus is talking about our daily lives, greeting people, caring about people around us, treating people with honor and respect as we encounter them in the living of life.
Perhaps the point that Jesus is getting at is if we do the little things well, if we respect, honor and care about people in our one on one encounters. If we see a person who has hurt us or who does not value our point of view, our beliefs with love and respect and hold them in prayer, then perhaps our world problems would not be such a challenge. In other words if we live the words of Jesus in our everyday lives then our world might have the chance of being a better place. If we do the little things with faith the big things might be easier to overcome!
Daily Lenten Prayer: Loving God, help us to live by your words. Guide us in the way of compassion, respect, caring, forgiving and love. Keep us focused on Jesus' way of disarming the evil in our life. Do not let us give in to a world view of power, might and right. Grace us so we can forgive when forgiveness is needed. Grace us with the humility to seek forgiveness when we have hurt others. Renew in us the Spirit of your love so that we might see today as the acceptable time to live by your words! Amen!
Runner's Thought: Let us today run in the present moment, not from something and not to something. Let's strive for a grace-filled and well and as a graceful run. Do not run for time but run for form, run for grace, run for God!
Blessings to all on this Saturday morning! I hope you had a restful night, one that has allowed you to rise refreshed and ready to begin a new day.
I find myself in Bismarck, ND this morning. It was a long but successful journey across the Midwest yesterday. I have settled into my new home the Kelly Inn for the next six days. I have the morning and part of the afternoon to prepare before things begin to get busy. Once again I ask for your prayers, prayers for the community of faith at Corpus Christi Parish and for the preacher who will be leading them in this time of mission. I was here about a year and a half ago and they invited me back. They must be gluttons for punishment or just doing extra penance for Lent!
Well friends have a great weekend with time for rest and relaxation where ever you are. Be well, be safe and be faith filled! Peace in Christ's Passion...Fr. Paul
Saturday, February 23, 2013
Friday, February 22, 2013
Daily Lenten Thoughts
Daily Thoughts: Today we celebrate the Feast of the Chair of St. Peter and our thoughts and prayers are with Pope Benedict, a humble and courageous man who knew when it was time. Some might criticize him for stepping down but I admire him for being honest, for being faithful, for letting go and letting God!
The Gospel today is one of my favorites that scene when Jesus asks the disciples, "Who do people say that I am?" I know scripture scholars do not interpret this question a Jesus wanting to know what people think, however each time I hear it that is where my thoughts go. This scene for me makes Jesus a little more human in my book.
He asks who to people say that he is, and then he asks the disciple who they say he is. Don't we all want to know the answer to these questions about ourselves? What do people think of us? What are they saying about us? We wonder what people in general whom we meet and perhaps work with think about us. We wonder what our friends really think. They are questions that we would like answered.
For me, I think Jesus did too, perhaps not for the same reasons we do, but I think it was important for him to know. Maybe he wanted to know how his message was getting across. Maybe he wanted to know how well his disciples were paying attend, were learning. Maybe it was a way to know just how well their relationship had grown.
As always we can count on Peter to bring life to the moment. Without hesitation he responds to Jesus' question with what was in his heart, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." You can almost hear the love in Peter's voice. This heartfelt reaction and answer to the question and Jesus says, "Blessed are you Simon....For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father." Peter was speaking from the depth of his soul. He would still struggle in his relationship with Jesus, there would be more mistakes but Peter had his hand of the pulse of his friendship with Jesus.
Perhaps Pope Benedict does too; maybe his decision wasn't a flesh and blood decision but one revealed by God. As people of faith perhaps we need to trust that Pope Benedict is a shepherd who doesn't lord it over us but is an example to us.
Let us remember the words of St. John of the Cross, "In all our necessities, trials, and difficulties, no better or safer aid exists for us than prayer and hope that God will provide for us by the means God desires."
Daily Lenten Prayer: Good Jesus, we desire to answer the question of who you are in our lives with the conviction of Peter. You are the Christ, the Son of the living God and you are never far from our hearts. Guide us, through the struggles of this day. Make us aware of your presence and enable us to trust in that presence. You are our Shepherd and knowing that means we will want for nothing. Grace us with the strength stake our life on this promise today and always. Amen!
Runner's Thought: Let us run today no matter what circumstances we encounter. There are lessons to be learned from running in various emotional states, just as there are when running in different environmental settings. Let's not shy away from running in an unaccustomed state of mind or an unusual situation. Opportunities for encountering God often are found in the unfamiliar.
TGIF everyone! I hope you will have a wonderful end to the work week that will lead you into a relaxing and restful weekend. My thoughts and prayers this morning are with a little girl in Shelby, NC who is not feeling well, a high temp and a bad throat. I am praying for healing for her and peace of mind for her mom, dad and her sister!
In a little while I will be off to the airport so that I can spend my day making my way to Bismarck, ND. No direct flights so I will be flying first to Denver and then on to Bismarck. It looks like it will not be as cold there this coming week as it has been this past week and for that I am most grateful; however any way you look at it I will not be enjoying a day at the beach! I ask your prayers of the faith community at Corpus Christi Parish this coming week and for their preacher that we might have a faith filled mission.
Be well everyone and if you can take some time to enjoy life! Peace in Christ's Passion...Fr. Paul
The Gospel today is one of my favorites that scene when Jesus asks the disciples, "Who do people say that I am?" I know scripture scholars do not interpret this question a Jesus wanting to know what people think, however each time I hear it that is where my thoughts go. This scene for me makes Jesus a little more human in my book.
He asks who to people say that he is, and then he asks the disciple who they say he is. Don't we all want to know the answer to these questions about ourselves? What do people think of us? What are they saying about us? We wonder what people in general whom we meet and perhaps work with think about us. We wonder what our friends really think. They are questions that we would like answered.
For me, I think Jesus did too, perhaps not for the same reasons we do, but I think it was important for him to know. Maybe he wanted to know how his message was getting across. Maybe he wanted to know how well his disciples were paying attend, were learning. Maybe it was a way to know just how well their relationship had grown.
As always we can count on Peter to bring life to the moment. Without hesitation he responds to Jesus' question with what was in his heart, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." You can almost hear the love in Peter's voice. This heartfelt reaction and answer to the question and Jesus says, "Blessed are you Simon....For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father." Peter was speaking from the depth of his soul. He would still struggle in his relationship with Jesus, there would be more mistakes but Peter had his hand of the pulse of his friendship with Jesus.
Perhaps Pope Benedict does too; maybe his decision wasn't a flesh and blood decision but one revealed by God. As people of faith perhaps we need to trust that Pope Benedict is a shepherd who doesn't lord it over us but is an example to us.
Let us remember the words of St. John of the Cross, "In all our necessities, trials, and difficulties, no better or safer aid exists for us than prayer and hope that God will provide for us by the means God desires."
Daily Lenten Prayer: Good Jesus, we desire to answer the question of who you are in our lives with the conviction of Peter. You are the Christ, the Son of the living God and you are never far from our hearts. Guide us, through the struggles of this day. Make us aware of your presence and enable us to trust in that presence. You are our Shepherd and knowing that means we will want for nothing. Grace us with the strength stake our life on this promise today and always. Amen!
Runner's Thought: Let us run today no matter what circumstances we encounter. There are lessons to be learned from running in various emotional states, just as there are when running in different environmental settings. Let's not shy away from running in an unaccustomed state of mind or an unusual situation. Opportunities for encountering God often are found in the unfamiliar.
TGIF everyone! I hope you will have a wonderful end to the work week that will lead you into a relaxing and restful weekend. My thoughts and prayers this morning are with a little girl in Shelby, NC who is not feeling well, a high temp and a bad throat. I am praying for healing for her and peace of mind for her mom, dad and her sister!
In a little while I will be off to the airport so that I can spend my day making my way to Bismarck, ND. No direct flights so I will be flying first to Denver and then on to Bismarck. It looks like it will not be as cold there this coming week as it has been this past week and for that I am most grateful; however any way you look at it I will not be enjoying a day at the beach! I ask your prayers of the faith community at Corpus Christi Parish this coming week and for their preacher that we might have a faith filled mission.
Be well everyone and if you can take some time to enjoy life! Peace in Christ's Passion...Fr. Paul
Thursday, February 21, 2013
Daily Lenten Thoughts - 02/21/2013
Daily Thoughts: "Do to others whatever you would have them do to you," advice given by Jesus to his disciples, advice given to us today. What a different world it would be if we just followed this simple wisdom. I do not think there is a person among us who does not want good things to happen to them. Who does not want to be treated with respect and dignity? Who does not want to be valued for who they are? It is a basic human emotion, feeling and need. We want to be accepted, we want to be loved.
Yet over and over a scene is played out in our world today that runs counter to the wisdom Jesus gives us in the Gospel today. Just think of how many times and how many different ways each day we hear about, read about and even witness people disrespecting, belittling, devaluing, making fun of and hurting others, with words, actions, or in actions. Just think of all we endured leading up to Election Day. The millions of ads that attacked the other candidate, we rarely heard about how well somebody would be for an office you usually heard how bad the other person was.
Just take a trip some time online through Facebook, Twitter or one of the other social media sights. Reading the comments at the bottom of some article or news story post on the internet and you will encounter, hate, bigotry and profound disrespect. We seem to be about tearing down not building up. If we take Jesus' words at face value it would seem we all want people to disrespect, dishonor and devalue us because that is the way we seem to treat others.
I think we need to remember that we value life because each of us, all of us, are born in the image and likeness of God. There is good in all of us. Perhaps we first need to find that goodness in ourselves and allow our words, our actions to originate from that goodness.
In the first reading Queen Esther prays for God's help. In the Gospel Jesus tells us to ask for God help. Today I am praying, I am asking God to help us see and concentrate on the goodness, the image and likeness of God within us, so that we may see it in others and continue the work of the prophets of old in making this world a better place. Making it a world of respect, reverence and love!
Daily Prayer: Gift us O God, with a spirit that always contemplates what is right, what is good, what is worthy, what is decent, what is honorable, what is of value, the goodness, within ourselves and others. Help us to treat all we meet in the same way we want to be treated. Grace us with patience when we are not. Enliven us with trust in you so that we will always have the strength to ask, seek and knock. Knowing that if we do we will always be given, we will always find and the door will always be open! Amen!
Runner's Thought: Let us run today with a spirit of gratefulness. Before beginning our run, let's declare our intention to look upon all we encounter with the freshness of the unexpected. It has been said that "surprise leads us on the path of gratefulness." So let us run with a sense of miraculous expectation and allow feelings of gratitude for the extraordinary and the ordinary to flow through our being! Adapted from Roger Joslin
Have a great Thursday everyone! We finished the mission last night in Peekskill, NY at Assumption Parish in a wonderful way. Again a great spirit and I now take that spirit with me as I ready myself to head out to the upper Midwest, Bismarck, North Dakota to be exact.
I hope your week has been going well and perhaps coming to an end in a good way so that you can enjoy the weekend ahead. For all those not having a good week, and I have heard a few story of people who are not, I am asking God for a special bless upon you today that things will turn around and that today will be a truly blessed day for you.
I am also remembering a good friend whose birthday would have been today, my friend Roseann, who died over a year and a half ago. May she, from her place with God, look down upon us and continue to help us through life as she did when she was with us!
Again I ask God's blessing upon all of you today. May God bless the gift that you are and everyone you meet! Peace in Christ's Passion...Fr. Paul
Yet over and over a scene is played out in our world today that runs counter to the wisdom Jesus gives us in the Gospel today. Just think of how many times and how many different ways each day we hear about, read about and even witness people disrespecting, belittling, devaluing, making fun of and hurting others, with words, actions, or in actions. Just think of all we endured leading up to Election Day. The millions of ads that attacked the other candidate, we rarely heard about how well somebody would be for an office you usually heard how bad the other person was.
Just take a trip some time online through Facebook, Twitter or one of the other social media sights. Reading the comments at the bottom of some article or news story post on the internet and you will encounter, hate, bigotry and profound disrespect. We seem to be about tearing down not building up. If we take Jesus' words at face value it would seem we all want people to disrespect, dishonor and devalue us because that is the way we seem to treat others.
I think we need to remember that we value life because each of us, all of us, are born in the image and likeness of God. There is good in all of us. Perhaps we first need to find that goodness in ourselves and allow our words, our actions to originate from that goodness.
In the first reading Queen Esther prays for God's help. In the Gospel Jesus tells us to ask for God help. Today I am praying, I am asking God to help us see and concentrate on the goodness, the image and likeness of God within us, so that we may see it in others and continue the work of the prophets of old in making this world a better place. Making it a world of respect, reverence and love!
Daily Prayer: Gift us O God, with a spirit that always contemplates what is right, what is good, what is worthy, what is decent, what is honorable, what is of value, the goodness, within ourselves and others. Help us to treat all we meet in the same way we want to be treated. Grace us with patience when we are not. Enliven us with trust in you so that we will always have the strength to ask, seek and knock. Knowing that if we do we will always be given, we will always find and the door will always be open! Amen!
Runner's Thought: Let us run today with a spirit of gratefulness. Before beginning our run, let's declare our intention to look upon all we encounter with the freshness of the unexpected. It has been said that "surprise leads us on the path of gratefulness." So let us run with a sense of miraculous expectation and allow feelings of gratitude for the extraordinary and the ordinary to flow through our being! Adapted from Roger Joslin
Have a great Thursday everyone! We finished the mission last night in Peekskill, NY at Assumption Parish in a wonderful way. Again a great spirit and I now take that spirit with me as I ready myself to head out to the upper Midwest, Bismarck, North Dakota to be exact.
I hope your week has been going well and perhaps coming to an end in a good way so that you can enjoy the weekend ahead. For all those not having a good week, and I have heard a few story of people who are not, I am asking God for a special bless upon you today that things will turn around and that today will be a truly blessed day for you.
I am also remembering a good friend whose birthday would have been today, my friend Roseann, who died over a year and a half ago. May she, from her place with God, look down upon us and continue to help us through life as she did when she was with us!
Again I ask God's blessing upon all of you today. May God bless the gift that you are and everyone you meet! Peace in Christ's Passion...Fr. Paul
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
Daily Lenten Thoughts - 02/20/2013
Daily Thoughts: Recognizing and responding to God seems to be the tread that connects out two readings today. In the first reading from the Book of Jonah, Jonah is finally convinced by God to go to Nineveh and preach his message. Before Jonah gets half way through the city the people begin to repent. They proclaim a fast and put on sackcloth. As the word of God's message gets to the king, he puts on sackcloth and sits in ashes. In other words, much to Jonah's surprise the people hear God's word and respond to it right away. There is no debate, no bargaining, no resistance, the people hear the word of God and repent!
In the Gospel Jesus uses the example of Jonah to make his point to the people he is preaching to. His point is that God is in their midst but they are missing this gift. Other people, people you would not expect, people outside the faith community hear the word of God and respond but people in the faith community do not. They want signs and yet God in right in their midst.
Recognizing and responding to God, that is always the challenge. It is certainly the challenge for us today. How many times is God present in our lives and we fail to recognize him? How many times does God speak to us and we fail to hear or listen?
God is profoundly compassionate and forgiving but we have to recognize him, we have to hear and respond. This was the biggest problem for the religious leaders of Jesus' time, God was right in their midst and they did not recognize him, they did not hear and respond to him. Let us not make the same mistake. Today let us be open and aware to the many ways God enters into our lives and invites us into his mercy and love!
Daily Prayer: O God, look kindly on us today. Help us to recognize you in the many ways you will be part of our life today. Enable us to hear your word and respond to it with energy and enthusiasm. Grace us with humble and contrite hearts open to your presence and word. Fill us with your hope so that we may live always in your love! Amen!
Runner's Thought: Life like running contains elements of challenge, difficulty, and pain...life like running hurts, it wounds, it calls on us to rise above conditions that seem beyond what we are capable of doing...life like running is a thing worth living and doing not just because of the future rewards, but because of how it feeds our bodies and minds and souls in the present and makes us aware of God's presence.
Blessings on your Wednesday everyone! I hope you will have a great day where ever you are and whatever you will be doing. We bring the mission to a close here at Assumption Parish in Peekskill, NY today. It has been a spirit filled three days. I would like to thank my friends from St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish in Shrub Oak for making the trip down to the mission each evening. Again I ask your prayers for this final day, for the faith community and the preacher. Have a great day everyone and know you are in my prayers! Peace in Christ's Passion...Fr. Paul
In the Gospel Jesus uses the example of Jonah to make his point to the people he is preaching to. His point is that God is in their midst but they are missing this gift. Other people, people you would not expect, people outside the faith community hear the word of God and respond but people in the faith community do not. They want signs and yet God in right in their midst.
Recognizing and responding to God, that is always the challenge. It is certainly the challenge for us today. How many times is God present in our lives and we fail to recognize him? How many times does God speak to us and we fail to hear or listen?
God is profoundly compassionate and forgiving but we have to recognize him, we have to hear and respond. This was the biggest problem for the religious leaders of Jesus' time, God was right in their midst and they did not recognize him, they did not hear and respond to him. Let us not make the same mistake. Today let us be open and aware to the many ways God enters into our lives and invites us into his mercy and love!
Daily Prayer: O God, look kindly on us today. Help us to recognize you in the many ways you will be part of our life today. Enable us to hear your word and respond to it with energy and enthusiasm. Grace us with humble and contrite hearts open to your presence and word. Fill us with your hope so that we may live always in your love! Amen!
Runner's Thought: Life like running contains elements of challenge, difficulty, and pain...life like running hurts, it wounds, it calls on us to rise above conditions that seem beyond what we are capable of doing...life like running is a thing worth living and doing not just because of the future rewards, but because of how it feeds our bodies and minds and souls in the present and makes us aware of God's presence.
Blessings on your Wednesday everyone! I hope you will have a great day where ever you are and whatever you will be doing. We bring the mission to a close here at Assumption Parish in Peekskill, NY today. It has been a spirit filled three days. I would like to thank my friends from St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish in Shrub Oak for making the trip down to the mission each evening. Again I ask your prayers for this final day, for the faith community and the preacher. Have a great day everyone and know you are in my prayers! Peace in Christ's Passion...Fr. Paul
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
Daily Lenten Thoughts - 02/19/2013
Daily Thoughts: God's Word in our life is like nothing else. As our first reading from Isaiah remains us it cannot return to God without nurturing, correcting, healing and inspiring us. God's Word is just like the rain, it refreshes us, it softens us up and helps life to go within us and around us. God's Word is always going to grow our challenge is to allow it to grow within us.
The Our Father has always been one of my favorite prayers, perhaps because it probably was one of the first prayers I learned. It keeps me connected with the beginning of my life. It is also important to me because it is the last prayer I prayed with my father. It happened one night in the hospital not long before he died. I asked him if he wanted to pray and he said yes. We said the Our Father together and when we were finished a great feeling of loss came over me and I began to cry. My dad reached out and comforted me. I think the feeling of loss came from the fact that all that the Our Father speaks about my own father did for me in life and in praying it that night I recognized the loss that was about to take place in my life.
The hopefulness of the Our Father is that God will never leave us. That each and every day we pray that simple pray, its promises, its challenges will always be taken care of by Our Father, God. Our daily bread will always be there. Forgiveness will always be there. The care, compassion and presence of God will always be there. We just have to trust and give life to the Word of God planted within us!
As St. Augustine puts it, "If you run through the petitions of all holy prayers, I believe you will find nothing that is not contained in the Lord's Prayer."
Daily Prayer: Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen! (Say it slowly, listen to the words!)
Runner's Thought: Running is an intensely physical activity, so the body is brought directly into play and cannot be ignored. Thus, if our run becomes a prayer, our bodies with their direct connection to the earth, the wind, the heat, the cold, the scents and the noises around us become the stimulus that brings us closer to God, reminds us of God's presence in our life and gives spirit and energy to our prayer!
Happy Tuesday everyone! If you are returning to work or school today after a day off yesterday may your day not feel like a Monday! In about an hour we will begin our second day of mission here at the Church of the Assumption in Peekskill, NY. We had a wonderful first day with a lot of energy and enthusiasm and today should be more of the same. Please continue to keep the faith community here and the preacher in your prayers! Blessings upon all this day, may the Word of God be planted and nourished within you and may we bring it to whom ever you meet! Peace in Christ's Passion...Fr. Paul
The Our Father has always been one of my favorite prayers, perhaps because it probably was one of the first prayers I learned. It keeps me connected with the beginning of my life. It is also important to me because it is the last prayer I prayed with my father. It happened one night in the hospital not long before he died. I asked him if he wanted to pray and he said yes. We said the Our Father together and when we were finished a great feeling of loss came over me and I began to cry. My dad reached out and comforted me. I think the feeling of loss came from the fact that all that the Our Father speaks about my own father did for me in life and in praying it that night I recognized the loss that was about to take place in my life.
The hopefulness of the Our Father is that God will never leave us. That each and every day we pray that simple pray, its promises, its challenges will always be taken care of by Our Father, God. Our daily bread will always be there. Forgiveness will always be there. The care, compassion and presence of God will always be there. We just have to trust and give life to the Word of God planted within us!
As St. Augustine puts it, "If you run through the petitions of all holy prayers, I believe you will find nothing that is not contained in the Lord's Prayer."
Daily Prayer: Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen! (Say it slowly, listen to the words!)
Runner's Thought: Running is an intensely physical activity, so the body is brought directly into play and cannot be ignored. Thus, if our run becomes a prayer, our bodies with their direct connection to the earth, the wind, the heat, the cold, the scents and the noises around us become the stimulus that brings us closer to God, reminds us of God's presence in our life and gives spirit and energy to our prayer!
Happy Tuesday everyone! If you are returning to work or school today after a day off yesterday may your day not feel like a Monday! In about an hour we will begin our second day of mission here at the Church of the Assumption in Peekskill, NY. We had a wonderful first day with a lot of energy and enthusiasm and today should be more of the same. Please continue to keep the faith community here and the preacher in your prayers! Blessings upon all this day, may the Word of God be planted and nourished within you and may we bring it to whom ever you meet! Peace in Christ's Passion...Fr. Paul
Monday, February 18, 2013
Lenten Daily Thoughts - 02/18/2013
Daily Thoughts: While the section of the Book of Leviticus which is our first reading today seems to be a list of what to do and not do I think more importantly it is a reminder of how to be a Christian, a Catholic. These commands that Moses offers the people today are all about being a compassionate and loving person. Yes, they say what to do and not do, mostly what not to do, but if we think about not doing things like stealing, lying, swearing falsely, using profanity, making fun of people with disabilities, not acting dishonestly, not gossiping, not living with hate we can begin to see a life enriched by the presence of God. We can begin to see a life were we love our neighbor rather than hate our neighbor.
The advancement in technology and social media is a wonderful thing. It gives us information in an instant. It makes it possible to communicate across vast miles in a second. It brings people and experiences into our homes at the instants they happen. But it also enables us to be very non-Christian without even thinking about it. We can slander, berate, gossip, hurt and even hate others without even leaving our homes. It is like playing a video game and yet our words, our thoughts put down on Facebook, Twitter and all the others can sometimes be profoundly hurtful and un-Christian.
The first reading reminds us today that whether we are standing in front of a person or thousands of miles away we still have a responsibility to be a person of faith, a person of God and that means being loving not hateful and destructive.
Jesus continues this theme in the Gospel with the very famous phrase, "whatever you did to one of the least brothers [sisters] of mine, you did to me." Our words and actions whether in the midst of people or over the internet have consequences. If we are kind, loving and compassionate to whomever we encounter, where ever we encounter them we will be welcome in the Kingdom!
Daily Prayer: Help us O God, to be the person you have created us to be today. Help us to think before we speak especially when our words are directed towards others. Help us to think before we write especially when we are writing about others. Help us to act, respond and live as a person committed to compassion, life and love. Make us aware of your presence in all we meet, make us aware of your presence in ourselves. Fill us with words and actions today that bring about your Spirit and life! Amen!
Runner's Thought: Remember God does not wait at home or at the finish line, God is constantly with us in all things and all people. As we run, as we live, our task is simply to recognize that fact and hold it with us and run with God!
Happy Presidents Day everyone! I hope you are off today enjoying a well-deserved rest from a normal Monday, if not I hope the day will be kind to you! We begin our mission here at the Church of the Assumption in Peekskill in about 45 minutes. I am looking forward to these three days and evenings even though the wind is howling and it is cold. I think the gathering of the faith community this morning and tonight will bring warmth to my day! Prayers and blessings for all of you today where ever you are and for whatever you are doing. May today be peaceful and full of many good experiences. If not hang in there, there is always tomorrow! Peace in Christ's Passion...Fr. Paul
The advancement in technology and social media is a wonderful thing. It gives us information in an instant. It makes it possible to communicate across vast miles in a second. It brings people and experiences into our homes at the instants they happen. But it also enables us to be very non-Christian without even thinking about it. We can slander, berate, gossip, hurt and even hate others without even leaving our homes. It is like playing a video game and yet our words, our thoughts put down on Facebook, Twitter and all the others can sometimes be profoundly hurtful and un-Christian.
The first reading reminds us today that whether we are standing in front of a person or thousands of miles away we still have a responsibility to be a person of faith, a person of God and that means being loving not hateful and destructive.
Jesus continues this theme in the Gospel with the very famous phrase, "whatever you did to one of the least brothers [sisters] of mine, you did to me." Our words and actions whether in the midst of people or over the internet have consequences. If we are kind, loving and compassionate to whomever we encounter, where ever we encounter them we will be welcome in the Kingdom!
Daily Prayer: Help us O God, to be the person you have created us to be today. Help us to think before we speak especially when our words are directed towards others. Help us to think before we write especially when we are writing about others. Help us to act, respond and live as a person committed to compassion, life and love. Make us aware of your presence in all we meet, make us aware of your presence in ourselves. Fill us with words and actions today that bring about your Spirit and life! Amen!
Runner's Thought: Remember God does not wait at home or at the finish line, God is constantly with us in all things and all people. As we run, as we live, our task is simply to recognize that fact and hold it with us and run with God!
Happy Presidents Day everyone! I hope you are off today enjoying a well-deserved rest from a normal Monday, if not I hope the day will be kind to you! We begin our mission here at the Church of the Assumption in Peekskill in about 45 minutes. I am looking forward to these three days and evenings even though the wind is howling and it is cold. I think the gathering of the faith community this morning and tonight will bring warmth to my day! Prayers and blessings for all of you today where ever you are and for whatever you are doing. May today be peaceful and full of many good experiences. If not hang in there, there is always tomorrow! Peace in Christ's Passion...Fr. Paul
Sunday, February 17, 2013
1st Sunday of Lent Daily Thoughts - 02/17/2013
Daily Thought: The readings today, especially the first one from Deuteronomy and the Gospel, present us with a contrast. In Deuteronomy Moses is reminding the people from where they have come and all that God has done for them. Not spoken is this section but still present is all that the Israelites have done, much of which was to grumble, build a golden idol and turn away from God. Yet, as Moses says God has stayed with them. God has remained faithful.
The contrast is in the fact that all of the temptations in the desert that Jesus does not give in to, are exactly what the Israelites do give in to. Jesus is tested in the desert just like the Israelites but he does not let history repeat itself. Jesus chooses instead to make God's word, God's promise, his priority.
St. Paul tells us that what we believe must be spoken but also held in our hearts so that as we live we too might make the right choices. If we believe with our hearts in the promises of God, if we believe with our hearts in Jesus, if we believe with our hearts that Jesus when through his passion, death and resurrection for us then our lives must show this gift, this presence. Our choices must be made reflecting the grace, wisdom and love of God.
This is not easy. The road of life is full of temptations that challenge us with choices. Thus, it becomes profoundly important that we know the story and hold it our hearts. Let us this Lent remember the story of God's love and choose wisely as we live life!
Daily Prayer: God of Life, be with us in our journey through Lent and life. Remind us of the story of your love each day that we may truly believe in our hearts that you are our God. In our moments of choice and decision help us to choose wisely. Have mercy on us when we don't. Remind us in the midst of our struggles to always call upon your name for help. Enrich us with your gift of hope that will enable us to always remember your love. Amen!
Runner's Thought: As we run let us look purposefully for signs of God's presence and give praise and be thankful. During our run let us become one of the many voice in nature that give thanks and praise!
Happy Sunday Evening everyone! I am very blessed to be here at the Church of the Assumption in Peekskill, NY to celebrate a time of mission. This is a wonderful faith community led by some dedicated priest and lay people. I only wish I had learn Spanish because then I could reach out to much more of the community here. I kicked of the mission this last night and today by preaching all the masses, if everyone who said they are coming, come we will have a wonderful crowd the next three days.
I hope your weekend has gone well and you have had at least a little time to rest. I know there were some friends in Shelby and Charlotte, NC who spent the weekend celebrating the first year of life of Charlie! I hope is was a great weekend for Charlie and his family!
Blessings on your Sunday Evening and blessings for the work week to come. Please know you will be in my prayers as we celebrate a time of mission here in Peekskill and I ask your prayers for the faith community here and the preacher. Peace in Christ's Passion...Fr. Paul
The contrast is in the fact that all of the temptations in the desert that Jesus does not give in to, are exactly what the Israelites do give in to. Jesus is tested in the desert just like the Israelites but he does not let history repeat itself. Jesus chooses instead to make God's word, God's promise, his priority.
St. Paul tells us that what we believe must be spoken but also held in our hearts so that as we live we too might make the right choices. If we believe with our hearts in the promises of God, if we believe with our hearts in Jesus, if we believe with our hearts that Jesus when through his passion, death and resurrection for us then our lives must show this gift, this presence. Our choices must be made reflecting the grace, wisdom and love of God.
This is not easy. The road of life is full of temptations that challenge us with choices. Thus, it becomes profoundly important that we know the story and hold it our hearts. Let us this Lent remember the story of God's love and choose wisely as we live life!
Daily Prayer: God of Life, be with us in our journey through Lent and life. Remind us of the story of your love each day that we may truly believe in our hearts that you are our God. In our moments of choice and decision help us to choose wisely. Have mercy on us when we don't. Remind us in the midst of our struggles to always call upon your name for help. Enrich us with your gift of hope that will enable us to always remember your love. Amen!
Runner's Thought: As we run let us look purposefully for signs of God's presence and give praise and be thankful. During our run let us become one of the many voice in nature that give thanks and praise!
Happy Sunday Evening everyone! I am very blessed to be here at the Church of the Assumption in Peekskill, NY to celebrate a time of mission. This is a wonderful faith community led by some dedicated priest and lay people. I only wish I had learn Spanish because then I could reach out to much more of the community here. I kicked of the mission this last night and today by preaching all the masses, if everyone who said they are coming, come we will have a wonderful crowd the next three days.
I hope your weekend has gone well and you have had at least a little time to rest. I know there were some friends in Shelby and Charlotte, NC who spent the weekend celebrating the first year of life of Charlie! I hope is was a great weekend for Charlie and his family!
Blessings on your Sunday Evening and blessings for the work week to come. Please know you will be in my prayers as we celebrate a time of mission here in Peekskill and I ask your prayers for the faith community here and the preacher. Peace in Christ's Passion...Fr. Paul
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