Daily Thoughts - 05/11/2013

Daily Thought: Dorothy Day once said, “One must constantly recall the necessity to grow in confidence in God.…Trust that prayers will be answered. Maybe not as we want but as others need it to be.” Perhaps in other words our faith is not always about ourselves and God, but about others and God.

In the first reading from the Acts of the Apostles today (Acts 18:23-28) Apollos is pulled aside and helped by Priscilla, Aquila and other in his ministry. Yes, he is an eloquent speaker but a stronger relationship with God is necessary so that he can help others with his gifts.  Jesus in the Gospel today (John 16:23b-28) continues to remind us of the need to ask in his name. In other words pray in his name so that what is needed, what is desire, will be received.

But what does it mean to ask in Jesus’ name? It means to pray like Jesus. Jesus prayed always looking beyond himself to others. Jesus prayed not for his own will but for the Father’s will. Our prayer, our relationship with God must always look beyond ourselves to others. We need to be about God’s will not our own.

Perhaps in the spirit of Dorothy Day, our challenge today is to grow in our relationship with God, trust that relationship and realize that our prayers will be answered not always as we want but as others need them to be!

Daily Prayer: O God, we seek the unity of our lives in you. Help us by the power of your Son’s Passion, Death and Resurrection to trust in your presence. May our prayers find their way into your heart. Helps us to trust that you will answer them not so that our will be done but your will. Grace us with hearts that look beyond ourselves to others. Help us to be people of hope who by our words and deeds strive to foster awareness of the meaning and value of each person as gifts for the life of the world. Amen!

Runner’s Thought: As we run today let us focus our attention on whatever presents itself to us during each moment of our run. Remembering that God can speak to us directly through each sight, sound and smell!

Happy Saturday everyone! It is cloudy with rain in the air here in Pelham today. Some might say it is a nice day just to stay and bed and sleep. I tried that but I guess I have had a enough sleep so I am trying to get caught up with some reading and writing. The house is quiet as I am the only one home today.

I hope you are having a good day wherever you might be. I pray it might be a day filled with the blessings of family and friends. That whatever you are doing will bring joy, laughter and peace to your life. Enjoy friends and know you are always in my prayers! Peace in Christ’s Passion and Hope in the Risen Lord…Fr. Paul

Daily Thoughts - 05/10/2013

Daily Thought: “Do not be afraid. Go on speaking, and do not be silent, for I am with you.” – “Whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you.” Perhaps these are two of the hardest statements in the scripture to trust.  They come to us today from the Acts of the Apostles and John’s Gospel. The first the Lord speaks to St. Paul one night in Corinth and the other Jesus speaks to his disciples.

How often have we asked God for something and yet it doesn’t happen, we don’t get it, we have to settle for life as it is not as we want it to be? How often are we called to speak or we feel compelled to speak because of our faith but the words just will not come out because we are afraid of the consequences?

Living by faith is no easy task, it wasn’t in Paul’s time, and it wasn’t in Jesus’ time. The world is often a cruel place, a place where words and actions can cause us pain, sorrow and problems even if they are true and right. The feelings and emotions of the mob are usually what rules. The Gospel message is not for the weak or afraid because many leave it at the church door on Sunday, if they have heard at all.

Our faith tells us that God is with us. That whatever we ask in Jesus’ name we will be given, then why is there so much sickness, death, pain and sorrow in the world? Why were three young women held hostage for over 10 years, did no one ask for their return in Jesus’ name?

It is easy to say that we are Christian and call ourselves Catholic but living out our faith is never easy. In some way God is always there, God always responds to us, God always gives us what we need, God always stands beside us when we speak the truth. However the world always makes it hard to hear, feel, see and know God’s presence in our life.

As you live today, as you wonder through this life trying to believe, trying to speak, trying to trust in God remember love casts out fear. It makes us able to speak even in the most difficult times and it makes present the most profound gifts that God gives to us!

Daily Prayer:  Take, Lord, and receive all my liberty, my memory, my understanding, and my entire will, all I have and call my own. You have given all to me. To you, Lord, I return it. Everything is yours; do with it what you will. Give me only your love and your grace that is enough for me. (St. Ignatius of Loyola)

Runner’s Thought: As runners in faith, if we embark on the path of praying while we run we can expect surprises, missteps, and perhaps great leaps toward a personal relationship with God. We might think of running as our escape from the struggles, tensions, problems and issues of life but through prayer it can also be a moment, a time, when God will reach out to us in unique ways!

TGIF everyone! The sun has returned to Pelham and it looks and feels like it is going to be a beautiful warm day. I hope that is true where ever you are too! In a few hours the weekend will officially begin and I pray you are looking forward to a restful and fun filled weekend.

 Sunday is Mother’s Day and I will certainly give time to the memories of my own mother, memories that are near and dear to me. To all of you mother’s out there have a great day and know you will be in my prayers!

On a sad note, I found out last night that a favorite watering hole of mind for many years has closed. The Greentree Bar and Restaurant located in the Riverdale section of the Bronx closed its doors on April 30^th. I spent many hours there over the last 18 years often with a beer in hand enjoying the fireplace, the food and the fine people I met there. The Greentree’s closing closes a chapter in the book of my life, with the retreat house gone which was a great love of my life and now the Greentree there is little to bring me back to that section of New York.  To all my Greentree friends I say thanks for your friendship and the memories. Blessing to all of you wherever you are and wherever you go!

And blessings to all of you on this Friday in May enjoy the rest of your day and have a great weekend! Peace in Christ’s Passion and Hope in the Risen Lord…Fr. Paul

Daily Thoughts - 05/09/2013

Daily Thought: Being in one of the few places in the States that still celebrates the Ascension today I am working off the readings for the Feast of the Ascension of the Lord.

“Men Galilee, why are you standing there looking at the sky?” I have always liked this little phase at the beginning of the Acts of the Apostles. For me  it sets the stage for everything that Luke is going to tell Theophilus about Jesus and this community call Church. Perhaps this question directed at Jesus’ followers just after he ascended into heaven sits at the center of our life as Church.

Sometimes as a Church I think we are standing there look up at the sky. We are looking at the past. We are looking at what use to be and not what is. We are looking back hoping the past will be the present and the future.

The angel’s question to the disciples perhaps was not just a question but a challenge. Are you going to continue to stand here and just look up at the sky? Are you going to live in the past, put your hope in the past? Or are you going to get busy and be about the ministry Jesus has entrusted you with, are you going to get busy about living of life.

In the movie the Shawshank Redemption Andy at one point tells Red, “I guess it comes down to a simple choice, really. Get busy living or get busy dying.” Perhaps that is what the angel is asking Jesus’ disciples the day of the Ascension. What are they now going to do with the mission, the ministry that Jesus has entrusted them with? Their choices are to stand here and keep looking up at the sky, waiting for Jesus to return, thinking of the past or they can get busy living the life, the faith, the hope, the love that Jesus has entrusted to them.

We might say that this celebration of the Feast of the Ascension challenges us in the same way. Are we as a Church just going to stand around looking, waiting for Jesus, are we going to stand in the midst of the past and wait or are we as a people of faith going to get busy living out our faith through the gifts of the Spirit?

Happy Feast of the Ascension everyone whether you celebrate it today or this coming Sunday, may you truly be busy about living your life with faith, hope and love in God!

Daily Prayer: O God of all life, enliven us with the gift of your Spirit to be busy about living not busy about dying today. Help us with your grace to live life to its fullest and not stand gazing back into the past hoping for what was. Today is a new day and may we live it with energy, enthusiasm and faith. Grace our hearts with the fire of your love that we might bring the gifts of faith, hope and love to a world so in need of them. Amen!

Runner’s Thought: Let us think of each run we make as having two distinct parts. I will call them the outward run and the inward run. The outward run is what we encounter as we run, creation, people, sounds, experiences, how we feel, the distance involved. The inward run is what we encounter about ourselves as we run. How we are feeling. What struggles we have physically, emotionally and spiritually. What we bring on the run that is within us, good and bad. Both parts of our runs are physical, emotional and spiritual. So let us be aware, let us listen, and let us focus outwardly and inwardly because each part of our run can bring us to God.

Happy Ascension everyone, whether you are in the part of the world celebrating it today or on Sunday! May we always be people who are busy about living!

The mission in Midland Park, NJ at Nativity Parish ended last night with a very faith filled celebration of the Feast of the Ascension. It was a great ending to a wonderful three days. I truly believe that the faith community of Nativity Parish is alive with God's gifts of faith, hope and love!

A birthday shout out to Elisa and her loving family whom I am sure are helping her celebrate today in Framingham, MA!

I am home today just trying to get caught up. I trust your day is going well where ever you are. We have rain once again watering the earth so the richness of life can continue. Whether you are softened with showers today or celebrating the warmth of the sun my hope is that you are having a great day! If not please know of my ongoing prayers for you that you will. Peace in Christ’s Passion and Hope in the Risen Lord…Fr. Paul

Daily Thoughts - 05/08/2013

Daily Thought: “In [God] we live and move and have our being.” A simple phrase that Paul uses as he speaks to the crowd in Athens, it seems to have been a phrase use by a poet that Paul applies to our relationship with God.

Paul is right this phrase very simply reflects our life as people of faith. If we believe then our life is in God and from our relationship with God, we live, we move and have our very being.

I have often imaged faith as being the breath we take every second of our life in order to live. We cannot do anything without that breath, nothing. Whether we are resting, running, alone or with people we need to breathe in order to live. From my perspective that is what faith is all about. I think that is what Paul was trying to tell the people of Athens. I think that is what Jesus was reminding his disciples of in the Gospel today.

As people of faith, we breathe in the presence of God, the Spirit of God, with and in that presence, that spirit, we live, we move and we become our very self, we have our being, our life, our purpose, our meaning. Today let us let our faith, the breath of God, enlivens us, strengthens us, inspires us and guides us on our journey through life.

Daily Prayer:  O God of all life, direct our hearts throughout this day in your wonderful Spirit of hope, so that we may know it is you at the center of all we are, all we want, and all we are meant to be. Keep us always faithful to your everlasting Spirit of Life and remind us that in your Spirit that we live, that we move and that we have our very being. Help us to take your breath of Life and live it to the fullest.  Amen!

Runner’s Thought: Let us remember as we run today that if we run towards God, God runs twice as fast towards us. Thus, to draw closer to God it is only necessary to move in God's direction!

Wednesday greetings to all! We are in the midst of a storm here in Midland Park, NJ, lightening, thunder and lots of rain. Well I guess everyday cannot be sunny and the plants and earth do need to be watered so I begin this day by thanking  God for the rain that washes the earth and brings forth life!

I hope your day has begun well either in the wetness of rain for the warmth of sun. May God bless your day today with the richness of life and may all that you do be within the presence of God’s love. Remember as you live today, live, move and be with God! Peace in Christ’s Passion and Hope in the Risen Lord…Fr. Paul

Daily Thoughts - 05/07/2013

Daily Thought: Sometimes we need to remember that God has the power to transform our loss into gladness and our sorrow into joy. In the reading from the Acts of the Apostles today the jailor finds himself at a moment of decision. He thinks that all the prisoners have escaped. He considers taking his own life because it would be quicker and less painful then the death he would have to endure for such a folly under his watch. However, he finds that his worst fears are unfounded and that God has given him and opportunity through Paul and Silas to change his life. Thus rather than death the jailor and his family experience new life!

In moments of tragedy, struggle, disappointment and sadness we at times get an opportunity to grow, to see life in a different way, to change. It is not easy, it can be challenging and perhaps our first thought is to not even try, to continue to feel what we feel. Yet, God is waiting for us to step up and bring the presence of God to each moment of our life, moving beyond worry, fear, anger, resentment and sadness to the Spirit of God.

I know this will be an unpopular thought but I have been bothered the last week by what is taking place in Massachusetts in regards to the body of the one terrorist from the Marathon bombing. I know that what he did was horrendous. I know that many, many lives we changed by his actions. I know he killed four people and harmed many others. I know that what he and his brother did was inexcusable and evil. But we call ourselves a Christian nation; we claim to be Christian people. We are offended when people what to take God out of our life, whether it be in our schools, the Pledge of Allegiance or any other place. Yet we will not allow this person, no matter how evil, a person who began created by God, to be buried. There is something wrong with us if continue to think this way.

Yes, I know we are angry, I am angry at what happen that day in Boston and in the days that followed. I am angry about what is happening in our world. I am angry we are not safe anymore. I am angry that at an event where people are supposed to relax, have fun and enjoy themselves terror ends their day, their lives. I am angry that at time my life is more about fear than anything else.

However, I am a Christian; I am a believer in God, as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. I am a believer that Jesus asked us to be compassionate, hopeful, loving and faith filled people. I have to believe as a Christian, as a Catholic allowing this person to be buried is the right thing to do. I believe if we don’t we will be condemned by God, as Jesus says in the Gospel today, along with him for not believing.

I hope somewhere down the road we as a people, as a nation, as Christians can grasp the moment like the jailor in the reading today and allow God to transform our lives from fear and hate into peace and hope!

Daily Prayer: Loving God we once again draw upon the inspiration of St. Francis. Please help us to be your instruments. Please helps us to be your presence in this world, to be your people of Faith.

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace, where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled, as to console; to be understood, as to understand; to be loved, as to love. For it is in giving that we receive. It is in pardoning that we are pardoned, and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life. Amen. (Prayer known as the Prayer of St. Francis)

Runner’s Thought: Let us remember in the midst of our run when running gets harder, when we get tired, when we are climbing a steep hill, when we don’t feel like continuing, when it just don’t seem worth it, these are reminders to come home to our breath, to the awareness that God is running with us! (Adapted from Roger Joslin)

Happy Tuesday everyone! I hope your day is beginning well. I hope the sun is out and you feel awake, energized and ready for a new day. If not you are in my prayers with the hope that your day will get better!

The mission here at Nativity Parish opened well last night. We had a nice crowd that was very enthusiastic and Spirit filled. I look forward to our second evening and my little reflection after the 12:10 pm mass today. Again if you are in the area of Midland Park, NJ why not come and join us at 7:30 pm this evening.

I pray this morning for blessings upon your day. May it be rich in the presence of God. May all you do and everyone you meet be gifted by your energy, your goodness, your love and your faith. Have a wonderful day everyone. Peace in Christ’s Passion and hope in the Risen Lord…Fr. Paul

Daily Thoughts - 05/06/2013

Daily Thought: There is a quote from St. Bede the Venerable that goes like this, “Let us speak the truth in our hearts and not practice treachery with our tongues, so that by pouring forth charity more and more in our hearts, the Spirit of truth may teach us recognition of all truth.” In this day and age I might add a little something to what St. Bede said, “…and not practice treachery with our tongues and our fingers!” It is not only the treachery of the spoken word today; it is also the treachery of the written word today. You find it on Twitter, Facebook and any other social media site.

It amazes me how negative, hurtful, bigoted and sinful we can be with the words we write about others. We call ourselves Christian yet the pictures we post, the cartoons we send around, the ideas we put forth sometimes are anything but Christian. I guess it is easy to site in our homes or offices or be walking down the street and attack a person, an organization, a political party, a public servant, someone in leadership, or a president. They get no chance to defend themselves; our words don’t have to be true. From the comfort of our own electronic device we can post whatever we want and there are no consequences to our actions whether we are right or wrong. Remember it is a free country and certainly free social media!

In the readings from mass today we are reminded about the importance of truth. Jesus reminds us that he is sending us the truth through the Holy Spirit from the Father, not Fox News or MSNBC or any other news organization that we agree with. Truth is most often not found in the media sources of today’s world it is found in the hearts of people who journey through life as friends of God.

Lydia, whom we meet in the Acts of the Apostles today, went to the river to pray and her life was changed through the preaching and the presence of Paul. Paul spoke the truth and Lydia allowed it to enter her heart. She came to believe. She invited the truth into her home and into her heart.

We need to trust the Spirit in our life not 24 hour news. We need to speak truth about ourselves and others. We need to be friends of God who build up not tear down. There are always going to be those who bring deceitfulness to the living of life may we always be people who bring truth!

Daily Prayer: O God of all Truth, your Son told us that the truth will set us free. May we live this day in the freedom of your truth. May your truth truly set us free to bring you to each person we meet and to each moment we live. Help us to let go of the negativity that surrounds us and often enters our hearts. Help us to be proclaimers of hope because we trust in your loving presence. Grace us with hearts like Lydia, hearts of welcoming and kindness so that we may never be people who tear down but people of service and hospitality who continue to build up your kingdom. Amen!

Runner’s Thought: We need to always remember that there are different forms of  prayer, of communication with God and that they are possible in everything we do, even when we run. So as I have often said let us allow our run today to be a prayer of thanksgiving, or a prayer of petition or intercession, or a prayer of praise, or a prayer of struggle, or a prayer seeking help or perhaps just a prayer that says hello God how are you today?

Happy Monday everyone! I hope your day and your week have started off well. Though I do know that Monday mornings can be tough! If this is a tough one hang in there and I will pray that the day and the week get better.

I am looking forward to the first evening of the mission here in Midland Park, NJ. Though I am a little nervous, I always wonder if anyone will show up. But I am trusting in God and the fact that some people over the weekend said they will see my on Monday. Please offer a prayer for the faith community here at Nativity Parish and for their preacher that we might have a successful journey together this week.

Please know of my prayers for you today and always. May you like Lydia, in the first reading for today, hear the word of God, take it into your heart and allow it to bless you with peace and hope throughout this day and always! Peace in Christ’s Passion and Hope in the Risen Lord…Fr. Paul

Sunday Thoughts - 05/05/2013

Daily Thought: We find ourselves once again this Sunday being asked to see life differently. We are being asked to see life through the eyes of faith.

In the reading from the Acts of the Apostles the faith community struggles as it tries to grow, as it tries to welcome new members. There is a council; there is a meeting of the leadership. During this meeting I bet there was a lot of discussion, a lot of input, a lot of opinions and a lot of arguments. However in the end the leadership, the community decided to change, it decided to grow. I am sure it was not easy because change is never easy.

In the reading from the Book of Revelation, John once again asks the communities to which he is writing to have hope in the future so that in the meantime they can continue to live out their faith.  John tells them there will be better times. In his vision today, John sees the New Jerusalem. It is the city that his churches are journeying to; it is the city we all are journeying to. As John describes it, the New Jerusalem is a wonderful city but it does not have a temple, it does not have a basilica, it has the eternal presence of God. The communities are to hold on to this vision, to hold on to this hope, they are to continue to be faith filled people.

In the Gospel, Jesus prepares his disciples for his Ascension, for the time when they will have to look at things differently. They will not be to look to him when they struggle, when they are challenged and life gets difficult. But they will have the Holy Spirit to guide and direct them. The Holy Spirit will help them to remember the Good News. The Holy Spirit will help them to see life differently and continue to bring the presence of God to the world.

We are reminded today that as people of faith we are to look at life differently. If we are willing to do so we will be gifted by the Holy Spirit with the strength of faith, a vision of hope and the embrace of God’s love. Live on people of faith do not be trouble or afraid!

Daily Prayer:  Loving God, gift us today with your unconditional love. Help us to find in these Easter days of joy a vision of hope that will enable our hearts to not be troubled or afraid but to be hearts of enduring faith. Teach us to see the world differently, not with the eyes of the world but with your eyes so that our hearts will be filled with your peace. Amen!

Runner’s Thought: If, in running, the desire is to connect with God, to pray, it is already happening. Keeping that desire at the forefront of our thoughts, remaining conscious of the intent is critical. Let’s make our desire to run with God and then run with God today! (Adapted from Roger Joslin)

Sunday blessings to everyone today! The mission here at Nativity Parish in Midland Park, NJ has started well this weekend. A very faith filled and enthusiastic parish. It was nice to be a part of the First Communion celebration at the 12 noon mass. Wonderful group of kids! Again if you are in the area come and join us Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday at 7:30 pm!

Have a restful and peaceful Sunday everyone. I hope the sun is out wherever you are. My prayers are with you today and always. Peace in Christ’s Passion and Hope in the Risen Lord…Fr. Paul