Daily Thoughts: Greetings
everyone on the Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul. It is a special day for me
and one that I always celebrate I guess because I was blessed with the name
Paul. The thoughts that I am sharing with you today I have shared before but I
think they are worth writing again…
There are two choices today for the
first reading, both for the Acts of the Apostles. In the first option from
Chapter 22, Paul retells his experience on the road to Damascus and in the
second option from Chapter 9 Luke is telling the same story. I could not help
but smile a little as I considered the two options, they tell the same story
but just a little differently. I thought of that game where someone starts off
by whispering a story to the person next to them and it goes around the circle
and the last person tells the story out loud and it is always a bit different.
Whether the stories are exactly alike is
not important, what is important is what happen on that road to Damascus. Saul,
as he was called then, soon to become Paul, has a change of heart, has a change
of direction. He leaves that spot on the road a changed man, no longer a
persecutor, now he is a preacher of the Good News. If anything the story of
Paul reminds us that people can change, that people can come to see life
differently. It doesn't take violence, anger, insult or judgment to make them
change. Sometimes all it takes is a different vision, a different perspective,
a different way of seeing things. God gives Paul the opportunity to see things
differently and he accepts the chance.
Paul put his original energy of faith to
work with anger, resentment and violence, Jesus invited him to see things a
different way. His energy did not go away it just got refocused in a positive
life giving way. He no longer walked in fear, anger and in judgment but he
walked in the Good News and in hope.
As we celebrate life today, as we seek
the sacredness and giftedness of life in our world, let us not walk in fear, in
anger, in violence, in judgment; let us walk in the light of the Good News! St.
Paul walk with us, give us your energy to proclaim the Good News of Jesus, of
God, of the Spirit to the world!
Happy Feast Day to everyone with the
name Paul! Have a great Saturday everyone!
Daily Prayer: O God, give us
the strength, the energy and your Spirit to go out to all the world and tell
the Good News. Enable us to let go of fear, anger, insult, violence and
judgment so that in proclaiming the Good News of Life we might grow stronger
and confound all we meet! Amen!
Runner's Thoughts: Remember it is
your intention that sets you apart from every other runner. So today and every
day have the intention of life and the willingness to celebrate the gift of
life!
Daily Blessing: Happy Feast of
the Conversion of St. Paul the Apostle! To all who celebrate the feast many
blessings and much peace. I always celebrate the gift of St. Paul whenever I
can. Today is one of my favorite feasts throughout the year! I started with
Mass this morning at 7:00 am and now I am getting ready for a long day of
travel back to New York. I hate to leave because it is to go up to 65 here
today and 75 tomorrow. I would like to stay and enjoy the warmth but I can’t so
it is back to the cold and snow! My blessing prayer is very simple today - May
the spirit of St. Paul the Apostle be with all of us throughout the day. May
his energy enliven your work, your ministry, your living of life today and
always. Many blessings and remember with St. Paul's help we too can get up when
we are knocked down and life will be better because we do! Peace in Christ's
Passion...Fr. Paul
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