Daily Thoughts - 09/07/2013

Daily Thoughts: Here are some thoughts to consider as we perhaps take some time to stand in solidarity with Pope Francis today and pray for peace…

“Peace demands the most heroic labor and the most difficult sacrifice. It demands greater heroism than war. It demands greater fidelity to the truth and a much more perfect purity of conscience.” (Thomas Merton)

“The ultimate test of a moral society is the kind of world that it leaves to its children.” (Dietrich Bonhoeffer)

These two quotes perhaps reflect a spirit that hopefully we as individuals, as a country and as a world can draw upon today and in the days, weeks, months and years ahead.

Please take some time to pray for peace today. The craziness of culture, society and the world around us affects us all. The violence of evil makes its way into everyone’s life. When we pray for peace it in not just about war, it is about the way violence, conflict, evil and a loss of respect for life makes its way into all of our lives. We are all affected by the violence and the unrest of our world. It touches individuals, families, neighborhoods, friendships, communities, cites, nations and all aspects of life no matter how protected we think we are.

Peace demands heroic strength and faithfulness. A world at peace is truly what we want to leave the children of this, isn’t it?

Please join Pope Francis and join me today in making a sacrifice by offering something up or doing something special and praying all for the cause of peace. You don’t have to pray all day; you don’t have to give up anything for life. Just make a little sacrifice today and spend a little time in prayer. Believe me it will not cost much but it just might lead us to a better world!

Please know I will be praying with you and for you intentions today. As I said earlier in the week I will be praying before the Blessed Sacrament in our little chapel here in Pelham from 7 pm until midnight today. You and your intentions will be a part of my prayer as I join Pope Francis in praying for peace.

Daily Prayer:

Lord, make us instruments of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let us sow love,
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
And where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master, grant that we 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.”
(Adapted from a the prayer attributed to St. Francis of Assisi)

Runner’s Thought: “When you've had the perfect run, you've cleared your soul.”

(From Runner’s World Quote of the Day - Pat Monahan, lead singer of Train) I would say it doesn’t even have to be a perfect run; sometimes a really tough run or just an ordinary run can still be a way to clear your heart, mind and soul. And when you can clear your heart, mind and soul you are not far from peace!

Happy Saturday everyone! I know I haven’t been as consistent in posting each day and I really have no good reason, just being a little lazy the last week or so!

I hope life is going well for all of you these early days of September. While I have been lazy in certain parts of my life the weather has certain produced some energy in other parts of my life. It is a joy to run these days without oppressive humidity. I no longer return home like as if I ran through a rain storm! The change in weather has also helped my preparation for my three upcoming marathons which I desperately needed!

I need to send a shout out to the Wieck Clan as they gather to celebrate the second game of the new college football program at UNC Charlotte! Their first game was last week and they got a big win. Today they play Chowan (whoever they are) hopefully it will be another win. As I write the Wieck Clan probably just finished up their morning tailgate breakfast and are getting ready for kickoff! Go 49ers!

I hope the weather where you are has helped your energy too. I pray that life is going well for you and that the stress and struggles that are always a part of life are not too great for you these days. Please know that you are often in my thoughts and always in my prayers.

And don’t forget Monday is International Buy a Priest a Beer Day. All contributions for beer will be accepted!

And as I mentioned in my Daily Thoughts please take some time to pray for peace today. Believe me it will not be time waste! Peace in Christ’s Passion…Fr. Paul

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

Daily Thoughts - 09/03/2013

Daily Thoughts: “Our duty, as men and women, is to proceed as if limits to our ability did not exist. We are collaborators in creation.” (Pierre Teilhard de Chardin)

This quote by the great philosopher, theologian Pierre Teilhard de Chardin came to mind as I was praying earlier day and making some final adjustments to a homily that I preached this morning to a high school faculty. The readings for the day (1Thess 5:1-6, 9-11 and Luke 4:31-37) speak about being a teacher and trusting in what we know and the gifts we have.

In his First Letter to the Thessalonians Paul is asking the community to trust in what they believe in, in other words to have faith. He points to the things going on around them, the uncertainly of their times and that some people are saying, “Peace and security,” in other words everything is fine, while others are say “ruin and disaster,” in other words, life is a mess! Paul says let’s trust in our relationship with God. Let’s be faith filled people and live life “as if limits to our ability [do] not exist.” Let work with God.

Jesus on the other hand in the Gospel is helping people to experience the gift of God in their lives. His teaching has power and authority. But what gives Jesus’ teaching so much power and authority? We might say it is because he is the Son of God and we would not be wrong. But I think Jesus’ teaching had power and authority because of how he treated people. In the Gospel today he expels a demon spirit so that a man can get on with his life. Over and over again Jesus takes people where they are and helps them to grow, to recognize the grace and presence of God in their lives.

Jesus knows that limits to our ability do not exist, because anything is possible with God. So let’s live this day in God’s presence. Let’s look beyond what appear to be our limits and let’s work with God to make a better world. Let’s be collaborators with God to bring about peace!

Daily Prayer:

Lord, make us instruments of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let us sow love,
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
And where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master, grant that we 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.”
(Adapted from a the prayer attributed to St. Francis of Assisi)

Runner’s Thought: “The miracle isn't that I finished. The miracle is that I had the courage to start.” (John Bingham) The miracle is also trusting in the presence of God, then finding, embracing and acknowledging that presence as we run!

Happy Tuesday everyone! And happy first day of school to all teachers and students who headed out the door this morning for the first time. I know there are many who have been at school for a while already, but here in New York today was the beginning in many places. I pray that all students and those who help them to learn and grow will have a great year!

I hope everyone else had a nice Labor Day weekend and that you were able to let go of work a little and just celebrate life with family and friends. It is hard to believe that it is already September. My how time flies when you are having fun!

In some ways I have a busy fall ahead of me in other ways I do not. Ministry in these next few months will be a little light unless I can pick up some last minutes jobs here and there but I do have a full schedule of running over the next three months. Three marathons in three months, now where was my brain when I thought this one up? I am nervous but also looking forward to the challenge as I close in on my 60^th birthday.

Just a reminder I will be running NYC Marathon in memory of my good friend Roseann Quinn who died two years ago. This will be the third time I have tried to run it in her memory so I am hoping three is a charm. You might remember Roseann died from cancer and I am running in her memory for Fred’s Team. The team raises money to help Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Hospital.  I have reached 84% of my goal of $10,000. I know many of you have already given over the last two years but if you haven’t or know someone who would like to give to please stop by my fundraising page - http://mskcc.convio.net/site/TR/FredsTeamEvents/Freds_Team?px=1984802&pg=personal&fr_id=1930

I certain appreciate any help you can give so that I can reach my goal!

Have a great Tuesday everyone! A big shout out to my niece Mindy who celebrates her birthday today – Have a Great Day Mindy!

And please join me in praying for peace in Syria, Egypt and everywhere else in the world where people wake up each day and have to live with violence. Pope Francis has asked us to fast and pray for peace on Saturday September 7^th. I will be fasting and praying before the Blessed Sacrament on Saturday from 7 pm until Midnight here in our little chapel in Pelham. I ask you to join me in spirit at some point during that time by giving up something a TV show, a football game, a baseball game or something, and spend just a little time in prayer. Let’s believe that all things are possible with God and so our prayer can make a difference.

Again, blessings today upon everyone! Peace in Christ’s Passion…Fr. Paul