Daily Thoughts: I have to say that I will be glad when Sunday
comes and goes and we are no longer in the Easter Season. I say this not out of
disrespect or because I don’t like the Easter Season, I love it but by this
point we have heard the Gospel of John especially chapters 14-17 so much that
it is a little hard to focus. Throughout these chapters John goes round and
round about Jesus’ relationship with the Father and our relationship with him
and the Father. Sometimes I just want to say, “Ok, I get it!” I also think John
may have been reincarnated in the people who wrote and translated the Roman
Missal. If it is not John then it must be somebody who studied under him or a
distant relative of him.
However, with my frustrations stated I
was thinking very early this morning as I spent time in prayer preparing for
mass today that perhaps these chapters in John are really the words of a person
in love.
In my teenage and young adult years
there were a few times when I was in love. Obviously they didn’t work out but I
can still remember the women and how I felt. I can also remember that it was
hard to explain my feelings to myself and others. It was hard to talk about my
feelings; the words would get all jumbled up. I would repeat them over and over
again until I am sure my friends were tired of listening to me. When I would
speak about my feelings to the one I loved or tried to explain them to my
friends often I didn’t seem to be making much sense.
Perhaps that is my struggle with the
words of Jesus in John that we have been listening to throughout the Easter
Season. Yes, they are Jesus’ words, but it is John who is trying to communicate
them to us. It is John in the writing of the Gospel who is now the person in
love. He is a man in love with the Father, a man in love with Jesus, a man in
love with us. Both Jesus and John are
trying to explain this love. Jesus to his disciples and John is trying to
explain this love to us but in both cases words don’t always come out that
clear. They explain this love over and over again, hoping we will understand
and hoping that we too will fall in love!
Have a great day everyone and don’t
forget to make a joyful noise with your life today!
Daily Prayer: O God,
strengthen us with the power to fall in love through the gift of your Spirit in
our inner most being. Fill our hearts with your presence and please do not
leave us. Help us to grasp how wide and long and high and deep your love is for
us. And, above all, enable us to know this love that surpasses all
understanding and knowledge so that we may share it with others this day and
always. Amen!
A Runners’ Thoughts: Remember
running can be a sacred act, sacred time. Sacred is a Latin word sacraficium,
meaning to cut up, or sacrifice. If we want our run to be spiritual we need to
sacrifice time, energy and comfort. It requires that we face life head on, live
wholly in the present, taking on joy and suffering, savoring each emotion,
every experience while offering it all to God. (Adapted from Roger Joslin)
Daily Blessing: Wednesday,
“Hump Day” greetings and blessings to all! Also Happy National Running Day! If
you are so inclined get out a put in a mile or two today!
We continue our retreat here in San
Angelo. It seems to be going well As I have the last two days I would ask you
to keep the bishop and priests of the Lubbock, TX diocese in your prayers as
they journey with me on retreat. And if you get a chance to add a second prayer
for the preacher, believe me I could use it!
On a sad note, I received word this
morning that Fr. Fidelis Connolly, C.P. died this morning. “Old Fid” as we use
to call him was the director of students for many years and he touched the
lives of many of us in a very loving and faith filled way as we made our way
through formation. He always had a smile on his face and a twinkle in his eye.
Fr. Fidelis will be greatly missed but he is at peace and offering his wisdom
to God now! Please remember Fr. Fidelis and all Passionists in your prayers
today and we mourn his loss.
My prayer for all of you this morning is
that God will bless you day with energy, enthusiasm, purpose, meaning, grace
and much love! Be well and safe in your journeys today and may you be blessed
with many encounters of the presence of God. Peace in Christ’s Passion and Joy
in the Risen Lord…Fr. Paul
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