Daily Thoughts: Today is the Feast
of Our Lady of Lourdes. Lourdes has always been regarded as a place of peace, a
place connected with the sick and struggling. I have always heard it is a remarkable place
and I hope to visit Lourdes this coming August.
I feast focuses us on Mary, our first
reading (1 Kings 8:22-23, 27-30) focuses us on the temple that Solomon builds
for God and our Gospel focuses us on the fact that the Pharisees and scribes the
religious leaders of Jesus’ time put more importance on the accidentals of life
rather than the essentials. I think our feast and each of our readings have
something to say to us today.
Certainly pause to honor Mary is always
a good thing to do. Today we honor her visit to Lourdes back in the middle of
the 19th century to a simple little girl named Bernadette. We also
honor the ongoing give of healing through Mary that has taken place in Lourdes
since her appearance. I am always very much aware of the role Mary has played
in my own family’s life. My father visited Lourdes during World War II and
asked Mary for a special favor. He asked Mary to keep him safe so that he could
return home to my mother and beginning a family. He dedicated his first female
child to Mary and asked he would name her Bernadette. My father made it home,
my sister’s name is Bernadette and thanks to my mother and father my sister, my
brother and I were given the gift of life. Mary is truly a special person.
In our first reading Solomon dedicates
the temple but reminds the people and reminds us that God is much larger than
any building. A temple, a church, a chapel are sacred and holy places to go but
we must always remember that God is much larger than any building, any place.
We must always remember that God is always with us, God is always within us!
And final our Gospel reminds us that there
are essentials in faith and there are non-essentials. We need to be able to
recognize what is important and what is not. Sometimes we forget or we place
more importance on the non-essentials than on the essentials. Both Mary and
Solomon remind us what is important the presence of God. The Pharisees and
scribes always seem to remind us what is not.
Have a great Tuesday everyone!
Daily Prayer: O God, through
the intercession of Mary, under her title of Our Lady of Lourdes, grace us with
the gift of your goodness, your healing and your love. Help us to be people of
the Light. Give us the courage to live
this day amidst the craziness that this world often creates. Bless us with the
hope that in living life today when evening comes you will help us to say how
good it is! Amen!
Runner’s Thoughts: Run in a new
place today, for new places can stretch our capacity for finding the presence
of God as we run!
Daily Blessing: Happy Tuesday
everyone! I hope this finds you well and not struggling too much with weather
or the stresses of life. As I posted last night our mission here at Sacred
Heart has gotten off to a wonderful start. The crowd last night was
overwhelming at least to me. This parish has a wonderful spirit and I sensed
God’s Spirit alive and active within the community last night. We move into our
second day today and I am very excited! Please keep the faith community at
Sacred Heart and their preacher in your prayers.
Please also keep in your prayer Fr. Tom
Joyce, C.P. and his family and friends. Fr. Tom died last Friday evening after
a long struggle with Parkinson's. He was a great Passionist, an early mentor in
my priestly life and a friend. He was pastor of our Immaculate Conception
Parish in Jamaica, NY for over 25 years. His family, friends and the Passionist
are in the middle of his time of wake today and his funeral will be tomorrow. I
know Fr. Tom is now at peace please pray for his family, friends and the
Passionists as we mourn his loss.
My prayer of blessing is once again
simple I pray today for God’s blessing upon all of us and I pray in the hope
everyone will have a great Tuesday. However if our day has started slow, or
disorganized, or in a panic, may we not worry and may it all come together by
day's end! If our day started with peace and purpose may these two graces see
us through to the end of the day! If our day started with struggle and tension
may we find moments of peace and calm that sustain us through the day. If our
day has started without God, may we let God find us so that we will not walk
and work alone! And may Mary’s healing and loving presence be a blessing for us
today too. Blessings to all! Peace in Christ's Passion...Fr. Paul
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