Daily Thoughts: Today we
celebrate the second half of our focus on the heart. It is Mary’s Immaculate
Heart that we honor today. There are many things we can say about Mary’s heart
but the virtue that stands out most to me about Mary is strength. I think Mary’s
heart was truly a heart of strength.
In the Gospel today Luke tells us that
Mary kept all the experience of Jesus in her heart. She kept the joys and
sorrows, the miracles and the opposition, the quiet moments and the great
crowds, the mother and father moments of family and the community moments of
discipleship. Mary kept the triumphant moments of shepherds, angels, kings and
palms and failing moments of whips, nails, wooden crosses and death on a hill.
Yes, Mary kept all things in her heart so she needed a very strong heart to
hold all the experiences of life that she encountered from early on. Mary was
truly a woman, a mother of great strength, a strength that came from and was
nourished, feed and supposed by her heart.
As I said yesterday the heart is central
to who we are as a human being. Whether we are speaking about our physical,
emotion or spiritual life the heart plays a central role in how we live our
life. Mary’s heart was a heart of strength carrying the grace of God’s presence
in her life. Her strength enabled her to say “yes” to God and then watch as
that “yes” unfolded in the life, passion, death and resurrection of her son,
Jesus.
Mary, woman of strength, hold us in your
heart that we too may be strong in living our journey of life!
Have a great Saturday everyone and don’t
forget to make a joyful noise with your life today!
Daily Prayer:
All Loving God, as we honor the
Immaculate Heart of Mary this day, we ask that by the help of her prayers we
might strengthen our own hearts and come to share your blessings this day and
always.
O holy Mary, mother of all mercy, you
are our life, our love and our hope. This day we call out to you, in all our
humanness, in all our failings. To you we send our prayers, our thoughts, our
tears, our joys. Turn your eyes, O most loving Mother toward us that we might
always hold the presence of your Loving Son in our lives.
O Compassionate, O Loving, O Tender
Mother Mary. Direct our prayers always though Christ, your Son, our
Savior. Amen! (Adapted from the Prayer -
Hail Holy Queen)
A Runner’s Thoughts: One way to look
at running is as a tool, a device or practice that aids the user in our quest
to pray. If we are intent about moving along the spiritual path, then it only
makes sense to use those aspects of our live that already fill our days. So
spend some time in prayer today go for a run! (Adapted from Roger Joslin)
Daily Blessing: Happy Saturday
everyone and blessing on this Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary! I hope
everyone’s Saturday has started off well and that you are looking forward to a
great day!
It is a beautiful sunny day here in
Manitowoc. We will finish up our week of retreat this morning with the
celebration of mass in about 45 minutes. I think it has been a good week I have
gotten a lot of nice feedback from the sisters. Please offer a prayer for the
sisters who have been on retreat this week that they will be truly renewed as
they return to their ministries and communities.
I have a little break now until I start
a second week of retreat here tomorrow with a new group of sisters so I am
headed to Green Bay today to visit Lambeau Field. I figured being I am this
close I should visit one of the great cathedrals of football!
my prayer this morning is that Good will
bless all of you today with a beautiful day, one in which you will get to celebrate
the gift of life with family, friends and people who enjoy life. May you be
blessed with a day that is fun and filled with moments and people of joy and
hope. May you be blessed with a day of rest and enjoyment. Please know as
always, you are in my prayers. Be safe today if you are going to be out and
about. Peace in Christ’s Passion…Fr. Paul
PS There is an interesting article in
NCR worth the read… http://ncronline.org/news/people/could-baseball-player-roberto-clemente-become-saint
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