Daily Thoughts - 10/18/2014

Daily Thoughts: We celebrate the feast of St. Luke, the Evangelist and companion of St. Paul today. In the first reading, (2 Timothy 4:10-17b), we are reminded that St. Paul was not always successful in his relationships. Two of his companions leave him but one, Luke, remains. When St. Paul was challenged in his ministry and he was challenged often, I am sure that he wished that there were more friends there to help him. But the Lord always stood by St. Paul and provided him with the strength necessary to push on.

From this story in St. Paul’s Letter to Timothy and others like it we can be graced with the hope that in our journey of faith our support, like St. Paul’s, comes from God in many different ways. God is always with us and will never leave us to face our perils alone. And like Luke for Paul, friends and family who stand by us, even when others forget us, are special gifts. Perhaps today on this Feast of St. Luke, Evangelist and faithful friend we might give thanks for the faithful friends in our own lives. Thanking God for them and the gifts that they are to us!

Have a great Saturday and a wonderful weekend everyone and don’t forget to give God a little time too!

Daily Prayer: Almighty God, you inspired your servant Luke the Evangelist and Physician to set forth in the gospel the love and the healing power of your Son. In faithfully detailing the humanity of Jesus, he also showed the divinity of Jesus and his genuine compassion for all human beings.

May St. Luke intercede for us that we may deepen our understanding of the gospel and grow in compassion of Jesus. May his intercession enable us to follow your way and bring your healing and loving presents to all we meet this day and always. Amen.

A Runner’s Thoughts: The parish school here in Mount Holly, Sacred Heart is having the Sacred Heart Halloween Hustle 5k Run and Walk today at 9:00 am. I would love to run with everyone but I have mass at 8:30 am so I can’t but I will pray for all the runners and walkers that it will be a fun and safe race!

“I tell runners… that no matter how inexperienced a runner you may be, there is nothing wrong with being intense. You don't know what you might discover.” (Francie Larrieu Smith) – “With the proper motivation, that is, a good reason for wanting to do it, your mind [will and spirit] can overcome any sort of adversity.

(Franz Stampfl)

And so to in the spiritual life!

Daily Blessing: Happy Saturday everyone! It will be a busy day for me with mass in the morning, confessions and mass in the afternoon and perhaps a hospital visit or two during the day. Then I will have a full slate of masses Sunday beginning with 7:30 am and ending with 7:00 pm. The life of a parish priest! I hope your weekend will not be as busy but I also hope you will find a little time for God too!

My prayer of blessing for all of you today is that wherever you are, whomever you are with and whatever you are doing today may you, your endeavors, your companions, and your living of life be blessed with the richness, grace and love of God’s presence! Have a great day everyone. Peace in Christ’s Passion…Fr. Paul

Daily Thoughts - 10/17/2014

Daily Thoughts: “Do not be afraid.” Jesus’ words toward the end of today’s Gospel. At first glance, this passage from Luke’s Gospel (Luke 12: 1-7) today it is a bit confusing. Jesus first talks about who to fear. We are to fear the one who can take eternal life from us. But then Jesus tells us not to fear because God is with us, God cares, God has our back!

I could not help but think about St. Paul’s words from the eighth chapter of Roman when he says, “If God is for us who can be against us!” I have often said we should right this down and keep it next to our bed and read it when we wake up each morning and before we close our eyes each night. “If God is for us who can be against us!” What a wonderful thought. Perhaps Jesus is saying the same thing when he tells us we are worth far more than many sparrows.

God know us intimately, he knows every hair on our head. God has our back so even though life presents us with many reasons to be afraid Jesus remains us not to be because, to paraphrase the words of Thomas Merton, God will never leave us to face our perils and fears alone!

Have a blessed Friday everyone!

Daily Prayer:

Loving God,

We sometimes feel like we are crossing a barren desert but we know you will not let us die of thirst. We sometimes wander far in safety though often we do not know the way. We speak your words, O God, sometimes in foreign lands and we pray people will understand. We hope to see the face of God and live.So Lord, we will not be afraid because you always go before us, we will come and follow you because we know you will give us rest!

Sometimes it feels as if we are passing through raging waters in life, that we are in the sea, but we trust you will not let us drown. We know that if we walk amidst the burning flames of life you will not let us be harmed. And if we stand before the power of hell and death is at our side we know that you are always with us through it all. So Lord, we will not be afraid because you always go before us, we will come and follow you because we know you will give us rest!

Lord, blessed are the poor, for you told us the Kingdom will be theirs. Blessed are all of us who weep and mourn because one day we shall laugh. And if hurtful people insult and hate us because of you may we to be blessed. So Lord, we will not be afraid because you always go before us, we will come and follow you because we know you will give us rest. Amen!

(Adapted from the song “Be Not Afraid” by Bob Dufford, S.J.)

A Runner’s Thoughts: Remember that if during our runs we have the desire to run and pray then our runs can transform the simplest moments into divine encounters!

Daily Blessing: Happy Friday everyone! Yes, we are at the end of another work week and in a few hours our weekend will begin. Now I am aware that for some this is not the end of a work week and that a weekend is often a time of work so for those who face work these next few days hang in there your “weekend,” your “time off” will come! But for those who find themselves at the end of their work week and who are looking forward to the weekend ahead for a little rest and relaxation, TGIF!

This is a special weekend for Passionists as we celebrate the Feast of St. Paul of the Cross. St. Paul of the Cross’ feast is actually Sunday October 19th but in the United States October 19th when not a Sunday is the Feast of the North American Martyrs so St. Paul’s feast is transferred to Monday October 20th. So today we begin a triduum of prayer to prepare for the feast of our founder. If you have a chance please enter into this time of prayer with us and ask St. Paul of the Cross to touch the hearts of your women and men so that his vision and dream may continue!

In the Gospel (Luke 12: 1-7)) today, as I said earlier, Jesus tells his disciples, “Do not be afraid.” So as a hopefully a faithful disciple and preacher I ask God to bless all of you with the courage and strength to not be afraid as you go through your day and life. I ask God’s blessing on all who find themselves sick and or struggling in some way may this blessing bring you healing and peace! But most importantly I ask God’s blessing upon all of you that you will always know that you are never alone that God is standing with you and will never leave you to face your perils, to face life alone! All of you are worth much more than many sparrows! Have a great Friday and a wonderful weekend everyone! Peace in Christ’s Passion…Fr. Paul

Daily Thoughts - 10/15/2014

Daily Thoughts: Our readings today (Galatians 5: 18-25 and Luke 11: 42-46) focus on two things – living in the Spirit and judging others. We are challenged by our scriptures today to not be judges but to be people of compassion, to be people of the Spirit.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer speaks to Paul and Jesus’ message today with his own reflection. “Judging others makes us blind, whereas love is illuminating. By judging others we blind ourselves to our own evil and to the grace which others are just as entitled to as we are.” Love and grace of gifts of the Spirit and they help us not to be blind judges but to be people of generosity, kindness, joy, peace and faithfulness.

As does Henri Nouwen with his word;  “As long as we continue to live as if we are what we do, what we have, and what other people think about us, we will remain filled with judgments, opinions, evaluations, and condemnations. We will remain addicted to putting people and things in their "right" place.” In other words, we will place burdens on others and certainly not be people of the Spirit.

The question that we might ask ourselves today is do we want to be blind and addicted? Hopefully not – which means we need to remember let God be the judge and every time we are tempted to point out another’s fault, we should think of our own shortcomings. If we approach life this way we will be graced by God’s mercy and patience, we will be living in the Spirit!

Have a great day everyone!

Daily Prayer: Christ has no body but ours, no hands, no feet on earth but ours, ours are the eyes with which he looks compassion on this world, ours are the feet with which he walks to do good, ours are the hands, with which he blesses all the world.

Ours are the hands, ours are the feet, ours are the eyes, we are his body. Christ has no body now but ours, no hands, no feet on earth but ours, ours are the eyes with which he looks compassion on this world. Christ has no body now on earth but ours. (Adapted from a prayer by St. Teresa of Avila)

A Runner’s Thoughts: Running can be so symbolic of life and faith. In running like in life we have to drive ourselves to overcome the obstacles. At times we feel that we just cannot do it. But then we find an inner strength, an inner presence and realize that we are capable of so much more than we thought. And like in faith when we run we often realize that we are not alone. That God runs with us!

Daily Blessing: Happy Hump Day everyone! It doesn’t quite feel like a usual Wednesday because of Monday being a holiday but we are still at the midpoint of our work week so let’s celebrate! Also happy feast of St. Teresa of Avila – may her spirit and faith enliven yours today. Things here at Sacred Heart in Mount Holly are fine and I am into the swing of parish life.  I hope your day is going well and moving quickly. I hope it is filled with many good experiences and a people. If it is not then trust in who you are and that even though life and people might seem like a struggle you are making the day a good day for anyone who encounters you!

My friends my God’s blessing be upon you today and always. May the richness of who you are as a person created in the image and likeness of God touch the lives of all you meet. May you bring God’s presence to every experience and each moment of this day. May the world you journey through be a better place because of you today. And at the end of the day may you smile with the tired satisfaction that because of you today was a good day! Peace in Christ’s Passion…Fr. Paul

Daily Thoughts - 10/14/2014

Daily Thoughts: As we have often heard, “You cannot judge a book by its cover!” We might say that this saying reflects what Jesus is talking about in the Gospel (Luke 11: 37-41) today.  Jesus does talk about the outside of the Pharisees verses the inside. What they appear to be, what people see verse what they really do and think.

I think though that what Jesus is talking about is finding balance in life. Our life is not just about appearance it is about what we believe and how we live that belief out each and every day. Living a life of faith begins in our hearts and our actions need to reflect what is in our hearts.

The Pharisees were not bad people however at times they let their power, their position, their influence and their authority get the best of them. They forgot who and what was at the center of their faith. They forgot the purpose and meaning of their life. They put themselves first. They got out of balance.

It can happen to anyone, it can happen to us. Being in balance is important. We need to always remember that everything, outside and inside comes from God. As Pope Benedict put it, “Every form of gift is, in a word, a sign of the presence of God, because it leads to the fundamental discovery that, at the origin, everything is given.”

Have a great day everyone!

Daily Prayer:

God of all blessings, source of all life, giver of all good gifts, we thank you for the gift of life - for the breath that sustains us, for the food that nurtures us and for the love of family and friends without which there would be no life.

We thank you for the mystery of creation - for the beauty that the eye can see, for the joy that the ear may hear, for the unknown that we cannot behold because it fills the universe with wonder, for the expanse of space that draws us beyond the definitions of our selves.

We thank you for setting us in communities - for families who nurture our becoming, for friends who love us by choice, for companions at work, who share our burdens and daily tasks, for strangers who welcome us into their midst, for people from other lands who call us to grow in understanding, for children who lighten our moments with delight, for the unborn, who offer us hope for the future.

We thank you for this day - for life, for one more day to love, for the opportunity to work one more day for justice and peace, for neighbors, for one more person to love and by whom be loved, for your grace and one more experience of your presence, for your promise to be with us, to be our God, and to give salvation.

For these, and all blessings, we give you thanks, loving God. Amen.

(Adapted from Prayer of Thanksgiving on beliefnet.com)

A Runner’s Thoughts: Running can clear cobwebs from our minds and focus our thinking. Running can give us time and space to sort out the things that are bothering us, or challenging us. At time running allows us to detach and think of nothing at all. But perhaps most importantly running offers us an opportunity to connect with God through our senses. Running graces us with an opportunity to taste, touch, smell, hear and see God in our life!

Daily Blessing:

Tuesday greetings everyone! I hope your day has started off well if not hang in there it will get better and if it doesn’t there is always tomorrow! Things are going well here at Sacred Heart Parish in Mount Holly, NJ. I always enjoy my time here there is a nice spirit in the parish!

My thoughts and prayers are with all of you as you wonder though this day and I pray that God will bless you with all that you need to make it through this day. And so I pray – May you be blessed with the grace and presence of God today. May the grace and presence of God be with you, in front of you, behind you, on your right and on your left, above your head, under your feet and in your heart. May everything you do today be for and with God! Peace in Christ’s Passion…Fr. Paul