Daily Thoughts: Over the last
week or so we have been reading a section of Matthew’s Gospel that seems to be
a directive for discipleship. In the reading of this section of Matthew we have
been told to trust in God by taking nothing with us, to depend of the
hospitality of others, to offer peace and to proclaim the Kingdom. We have also
been told that this journey of discipleship will not be easy. Jesus has told us
we will be rejected and the peace offer will not be accepted. Today Jesus also
tells us that the struggle of discipleship may even start within the family and
friends that we love.
In a number of ways the picture Jesus
paints of discipleship in Matthews Gospel today (Matt. 10:34-11:1) is one that
seems impossible to embrace let alone live. The thought of being at odds with
mother, father, sister and brother would make me wonder why I would want to
journey down that road.
I think Jesus’ purpose for this
instruction is simply to make it clear that if we get on broad it is not an
easy ride. The journey of a disciple is not the journey of a fairy tale; it is
not the journey of “happily ever after.” The journey of a disciple is a
difficult road with many changes, many struggles and many difficulties. It is a
journey of choices and decisions that are not always easy. Discipleship is the
journey of the cross and Jesus wants those who take it up to understand the
consequences along with the joys and hopes.
Today is the feast of St. Kateri
Tekakwitha, the first Native American saint. She was canonized in 2012. She is
known as the “Lily of the Mohawks” and is patroness of ecology and the environment.
St. Kateri had a strong devotion to the Eucharist which helped to strengthen her
faith in the midst of struggles and challenges. May we be touched this day by
her spirit of faith in our own journey through life!
Have a great Monday everyone and don’t
forget to make a joyful noise with your life today!
Daily Prayer: Compassionate
God; bless us with anger at injustice, oppression, exploitation of people and
the earth, so that we may strive for justice, equality and peace. Bless us with
tears to shed for those who suffer, so that we will reach out our hands to
comfort them and to change their pain into joy. Bless us with a foolishness to
think that we can make a difference in the world, so that we will begin to do
the things that others say cannot be done. Amen!
A Runner’s Thoughts: Remember we can
make our runs holy by bringing to our runs a sense of God’s presence in us.
Daily Blessing: Happy Monday
everyone! I am back in Pelham for two day before heading to Scranton, PA for
ten days. So today I am headed to the dentist for my six month check-up, then
back home to do wash, clear my desk of paperwork that has piled up over the
last few weeks and beginning to pack my bags once again. I am looking forward
to my time in Scranton even though it will be a busy ten days.
I am also preparing for my pilgrimage to
Lourdes and the Shines of France which will take place at the beginning of
August. It is less than a month away and I have things to get ready before my
little group goes, so this will be part of my agenda today too!
I hope your weekend was a fruitful one
and that you had some time to enjoy life. I pray that this new work week will
be one gifted with many blessings. The heat and humidity seem to be on again
here in the northeast. I just keep reminding myself how cold I felt last
winter. I hope you have found some ways to cope with the heat and also enjoy
these summer days.
I would first like to offer a little
prayer of blessing today for Sarah and Theresa both of these young women are in
their final days and weeks before giving birth to their first child. This is a
very special time for them and I want to ask God today to bless them in a
special way during these finals days. I pray these days will be rich in the
gift and grace of motherhood, that when the day comes you both will be blessed
with a safe, easy birth (if there is such a thing in giving birth), a joyous
day and a health child. Also I ask God’s blessings upon the waiting fathers,
Dominick and Jason, don’t worry your wives have it all under control!
May all of you be blessed with God’s
peace today and as Jesus tells us in the Gospel today it is a peace that we must
look for at times in the midst of struggle.
May you be blessed with God’s energizing grace so that you can make a
joyful noise with your life today wherever you go and for whomever you meet. Peace
in Christ’s Passion…Fr. Paul
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