Daily Thoughts: Where is your
heart? This might be the question that connects our two readings today. In the
first reading from the Book of Kings (1 Kings 11: 4-13) Solomon’s heart is in
the wrong place. It is not with God, it is with the world around him. He has
given his heart of other things. In the Gospel (Mark 7: 24-30) even though the
woman a Greek, a Syrophoenican by birth her heart was with God. In placing her
heart with God her daughter is healed.
The focus of these readings today remind
me of a verse in Matthew’s Gospel (Matthew 6: 21) “for where your treasure is,
there your heart will be also.” In other words what we find important, what we
place value in, what is the focus of our life that is where you will find your
heart.
Solomon finds importance in other gods, in
the things of the world that is where he puts his heart. The woman in the
Gospel put God at the center of her life that is where her heart is and she is
blessed with the healing of her daughter. Perhaps our question for today is – What is important
to us? Where is our heart? Is it with God?
Have a great Thursday everyone – even if
you are snow bound!
Daily Prayer: O God of Life,
as we stand before the roads that this day presents to us. Enliven us with the
wisdom to choose the road of life. As we walk this road less travel keep us
ever mindful that we are not alone that you walk with us. Strengthen us for the
crosses, the challenges of this road. Grace us with the hope that we will
always find your presence, your forgiveness, your mercy, your truth and your
love as we make this journey. May we place our hearts with you so that we will
always choose the road of life and let it make all the difference in our lives
and in the lives of all we meet today and always! Amen!
Runner’s Thoughts: Perhaps as we
run today we too should choose the road less traveled: the road of awareness as
we run, the road of revelation as we run, the road of intention as we run, the
road of mindfulness as we run, the road of imagination as we run, the road of
prayer as we run. Today let's pick a road we have not traveled lately and let
it make a difference in our life today!
Daily Blessing: Happy Thursday
everyone! We had a great closing to the mission last night in spite of the
storm that blew through Punta Gorda last night at about 6:30 pm. We had
thunder, lightning, heavy winds and lots of rain. My opening thought for the
people who were able to make it was, “At least it is not snow and ice!” I know
many of you dealt with snow and ice yesterday and many others are dealing with
it today. My prayers are with you and I hope you will be safe and the storm
will quickly pass!
In spite of the weather I hope your week
is going well. I send a special shout out to Erica today who perhaps at some moment
today will bring a wonderful new life into the world. May she and her new child
be blessed today or whenever the little chooses to arrive. I also pray for all
pregnant mothers today especially Erica, her sister Alexis and my niece Sarah.
May God truly be with them!
I pray that all of us feel the support
of God’s presence with us today no matter where we find ourselves or what this
day holds for us. May God bless us with many encounters of his presence as we journey
through this day. As always I pray for God’s blessings upon all of us today
that whether in balance or not we may find the gift of God’s touch in our
lives; the touch of healing if we need it, but most importantly the touch of
love to carry us through the day. Have a great day everyone. Peace in Christ's
Passion...Fr. Paul
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