Making a Joyful Noise through Lent - 03/30/2014
“Before all else, the Gospel invites us
to respond to the God of love who saves us, to see God in others and to go
forth from ourselves to seek the good of others.”
(Pope Francis, Evangelii Gaudium: The Joy of the
Gospel)
Pope Francis’ words touch on the very
gift of our Gospel (John 9: 1-41) today. The blind man experiences God’s love,
a love that gives him the ability to see, physically and spiritually the good
in himself and others. He accepts Jesus’ invitation ti believe, to have faith
and to bring the joy of God to the world. It is too bad that the others who
make up the story miss their encounter with God.
The other scriptures today (1Samuel 16:
1b, 6-7, 10-13a – Ephesians 5:8-14) along with the Gospel touch on the themes
of seeing things differently. Whether it is seeing God’s choice for the next
King differently as Samuel is challenged to do or seeing the community as being
now because of their faith in the light as the Ephesians are asked to do or
seeing the reason for your life differently as the blind man is ask to do.
The scriptures become a lens for us to
look through in order to see life differently. They ask us to see life through
the eyes of faith. If we do so we have the chance to encounter the presence of
God. We has chance to be surprised by the presence of God. We have a chance to
be touched by the presence of God.
Our Gospel also shows us what happens
when we fail to look at life through the lens of faith, we miss the gift of God’s
presence. We fail to see beyond our faults and failings. We are stuck in the
joylessness of the world.
Pope Francis always point to the joy of
the Gospel, to the joy of life. Our scriptures today challenge us to see so
that we do not miss the joy of God as it is present in ourselves and others
around us.
Sunday blessing to all and don’t forget
to make a joyful noise with your life today!
Daily Lenten Prayer: O God of
compassion and forgiveness, grace us with your gift of joy filled hope. Help us
to be your new creations proclaiming the Good News. As your envoys of faith may
we bring your healing and reconciliation to others just as Jesus brings healing
and reconciliation to us. Welcome us this day into the light and bless us with joy
and your wondrous love! Amen!
A Runner’s Thoughts: Run in the
presence of God. In order to do this, as you run, simply imagine God is with
you constantly on the run. It does not matter how you image God. Just take
whatever image of God you have and allow that image to accompany you on your
run.
Daily Blessing: Have a blessed
and holy Sunday everyone! I hope this finds you relaxing and enjoying the
beginning, middle or ending of your day depending on when you catch up with my
musings. I hope you don’t or didn’t forget to give God a little time today.
I began the mission here at St. Lawrence
Parish in Garden City by celebrating and preaching the 6:00 pm Saturday evening
mass and today I will be celebrating and preaching the 8:30 am mass at St.
Thomas Mission Church in Midkiff, Texas about 18 miles away and then it will be
back to St. Lawrence for the 10:30 am masses. The mission will begin tonight at
7:00 pm here at St. Lawrence. This is mainly a farming community so there will
only be on service a day in the evening. Please keep the St. Lawrence/ St.
Thomas faith community and their preacher in your prayers the next four
evenings.
In a few moment we will be off to the
first mass of the day in Midkiff so my prayer of blessing today is a simple
one. My God bless us all with the ability to see with the eyes of faith today.
May we see the joy of God’s presence in ourselves and others and may we share
that joy with all we meet today and always!
Have a great Sunday everyone, relax a
little and enjoy the day where ever you are. Please know you are in my prayers
always especially during this holy time! Peace in Christ’s Passion…Fr. Paul
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