Daily Thoughts: It is the feast
of St. Matthias today. Matthias was the person chosen after the resurrection to
take Judas’ place among the twelve. So we first call upon Matthias’ spirit of
faith in the Risen Lord to guide and direct us today.
“You are my friends….It was not you who
chose me, but I who chose you.” Two
reflections by Jesus in John’s Gospel (John 15:9-17) this morning that I have
always given me pause for thought.
On the one hand there is something
comforting about being a friend of Jesus. Yes, this friendship demands a lot
and is not always easy, but being identified as a friend of Jesus often helps
me to know that I am never alone. When you think about it someone who is
willing to and did lay down his life for me is not going to walk away from me.
The only person who can walk away from this relationship is me!
The second reflection by Jesus is a
little more of a struggle. I guess I would prefer to think that I am in
control, that I am the one doing the choosing and to a certain extent I have
chosen God. However, when I look back over my life I can see the signs of God’s
hand, of Jesus’ invitation. I can see God’s plan at work in the story of my
life. I am who I am today not because I chose God but because God chose me!
I have come to believe that it is God
who does the choosing, extending the invitation to be friends. After all we can
put Jesus’ words together with Psalm 139. “O God you probe me and you know….You
formed my inmost being: you knit me in my mother’s womb.” Yes, God did the
choosing long ago. God chose to create me and Jesus chose me as a friend.
God so loves the world that each of us
are fearfully, wonderfully made so as we live this day let us trust in our
friendship with God and live the gift that God has created us to be!
Happy feast of St. Matthias everyone and
have a great Hump Day! Don’t forget to make a joyful noise with your life
today!
Daily Prayer: Loving Jesus, you have no body now on earth
but mine, no hands but mind and no feet but mine. Mine are the eyes through
which you look out with compassion on the world. Mine are the feet with which
you go about doing good. Mine are the hands with which you bless people now.
Jesus you have no body now on earth but mine so through me bless the world
today. Amen! (Adapted from St. Teresa of
Avila)
A Runner’s Thoughts: “There is a
lesson to be learned from running in various emotional states, just as there
are lessons to learn from running in a wide range of environmental settings.
Don’t shy away from running in an unaccustomed state of mind or an unusual
situation. Opportunity for enlightenment often waits in the unfamiliar.” (Roger
Joslin)
And another thought, “Run often. Run
long. But never outrun your joy of running.” (Julie Isphording)
Daily Blessing: “Hump Day”
greetings everyone and happy feast of St. Matthias! I hope your day has started
off well. Here in West Hartford the sun is out once again though there are some
rather dark clouds hovering not far away! Most of our day will be spent inside
as our chapter continues. Much work left to do but we seem to be on schedule.
I would ask you to say a prayer for me
today. I have a rather important decision to make and I am struggling with it.
It is the first of two decisions that I have to make this week and it is
probably the hardest. I need to make it by later this morning or early this
afternoon so I just ask that you prayer that I hear God’s spirit and make the
right decision. I would very much appreciate your prayers today!
I pray that everyone will have a great
day, one filled with many blessings. May God bless your work, your travel, your
encounters with others, may God’s blessings be upon those whom you love and
upon you! May God bless you so that you can get over any “hump” today in peace
and joy! Peace in Christ’s Passion and Hope in the Risen Lord…Fr. Paul
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