Daily Thoughts - 11/04/2014

Daily Thoughts: “At the name of Jesus every knee must bend, in heaven, on earth and under the earth, and every tongue proclaim to the Glory of God the Father, that Jesus Christ is Lord.” Passionists pray this prayer at least twice every day. It is the prayer we pray to begin every communal gathering of prayer. It is a prayer that brings us together as a community and focuses our life of prayer.

Thomas Merton captures the essence of this prayer from St. Paul’s Letter to the Philippians when he says, “This act of total surrender is not merely a fantastic intellectual and mystical gamble; it is something much more serious. It is an act of love for this unseen person, who, in the very gift of love by which we surrender ourselves to his reality also makes his presence known to us.”

Perhaps said differently, each time Passionists come together through this prayer what we are doing is surrendering ourselves to the profound love of Jesus and with that surrender Jesus makes his presence known to us through prayer, through community, through ministry and through the living of life.

Why not try it for yourself, any time you pause to pray surrender yourself to Jesus by beginning your prayer with St. Paul’s beautiful words, “At the name of Jesus every knee must bend, in heaven, on earth and under the earth, and every tongue proclaim to the Glory of God the Father that Jesus Christ is Lord.”  Then let Jesus make his presence known to you!

Have a great day everyone!

Daily Prayer: Grant us, O God, a mind to know you, a heart to seek you, wisdom to find you, conduct pleasing to you, faithful perseverance in waiting for you, and a hope of finally embracing you. Amen.”  (Adapted from a prayer by St. Thomas Aquinas)

A Runner’s Thoughts: Some words of inspiration and faith for today are – “I run because long after my footprints fade away, maybe I will have inspired a few to reject the easy path, hit the trails, put one foot in front of the other, and come to the same conclusion I did: I run because it always takes me where I want to go.” (Dean Karnazes) And I believe, I have faith in God, in Christ, in the Spirit, because long after I am gone maybe I will have inspired a few to reject the easy road, hit the Eucharist, prayer and community, put one foot in front of the other, and come to the same conclusion I did: I believe because it always takes me to God’s love!

Daily Blessing: Have a great Tuesday everyone! Make sure you get out and vote today because it is an important right that we have and whether you are a Democrat, Republican or Independent – a Conservative, Liberal or someone in between, it is still important to us your right to vote. Not everyone has this right!

In a few hours I will be heading out to the end of Long Island to begin my eight day silent retreat. So until next Tuesday, November 11^th I will be unplugged! There will be no daily thoughts, prayers, runner’s thoughts or daily blessing prayers. I will check my email once a day but other than that I am off the internet grid. I will be keeping you in my retreat prayers and I ask that you keep me in yours.

My simple prayer of blessing today is that wherever you are, whatever you are or will be doing, whomever you meet – will be blessed and be a blessing from God. I pray your day will go well and be all that you need and want it to be. Many blessings on your journeys, your work and ministry, your interactions with others and your moments of quiet with yourself and may God’s presence be a source of life for you and all you meet! See you again next Tuesday have a peace filled week without me! Peace in Christ's Passion...Fr. Paul

Daily Thoughts - 11/03/2014

Daily Thoughts: “I prefer a church which is bruised, hurting and dirty because it has been out on the streets, rather than a church which is unhealthy from being confined and from clinging to its own security.” These words of Pope Francis seem to find life in our readings and in our feast today.  As a Church today we honor the life of St. Martin de Porres, a man noted for his work with the poor. In the Gospel (Luke 14:12-14) Jesus asks us to think and act not just within our comfort zone but to think and act outside it. We are challenged by both Jesus and Pope Francis to walk out into a bruised, hurting and dirty world and to celebrate life with the people we find there.

This is not an easy challenge. It takes guts, it takes selflessness, and it takes the ability to love. As St. Paul puts it in his Letter to the Philippians it take a humble regard for others, seeing them as important as ourselves. It takes a community effort with no one person being more important than everyone else.

Pope Francis’ constant theme is for the Church to be a Church of Mercy. St. Martin de Porres practiced mercy in the face of racism, poverty and his care for the outcasts of his time. St. Martin found dignity of every person and invited all to God’s banquet. Pope Francis has asked us to find dignity in each person and to invite all to God’s banquet. The challenge today is to ask ourselves do we find dignity in each person we meet and are we willing to journey with them to God’s banquet?

Have a great day everyone!

Daily Prayer: Grant, O Lord our God, that we may never fall away in success or in failure; that we may not be prideful in prosperity nor dejected in adversity. Let us rejoice only in what unites us and sorrow only in what separates us. May we strive to please no one or fear to displease anyone except You. May we see always the things that are eternal and never those that are only temporal. May we shun any joy that is without You and never seek any that is beside You. O Lord, may we delight in any work we do for You and tire of any rest that is apart from You. Loving God, let us direct our hearts towards You, and in our failings, always repent with a purpose of amendment. Amen! (Adapted from a prayer by St. Thomas Aquinas)

A Runner's Thoughts: "Run in the present moment, not from something and not to something. Strive for a grace-filled as well as a graceful run." (Roger Joslin)

Daily Blessing: Happy Monday everyone! I hope this finds you well and energized for a new day and a new work week. Winter touched many of us this weekend. I have to say I was glad I was not running the NYC Marathon yesterday, it was really cold mostly due to the wind. I felt for the runners as they headed up First Avenue right into the wind. I did my best to cheer them on but I have to say I was glad when the last ones went by and I could get myself in out of the cold!

I want to thank everyone for the birthday wishes yesterday. I had a very nice birthday spending most of it stand on First Avenue cheering the runners on especially those from Fred’s Team. Then I made my way home and had a nice dinner out with Fr. Robert and Fr. Edward. The highlight of my dinner was a glass of Blue Moon Pumpkin! It is the little things at my advanced age that make all the difference! But to all who called, sent texts, facebook postings, cards and emails – thanks for the birthday best wishes! It was a great day and a great start to “61!”

My prayer of blessing this morning is a simple one – I ask God’s blessings for all of you today through the intersession of St. Martin of de Porres, whose feast we celebrate today. He was a man dedicated to the poor, to all in need and had great faith in God’s presence in his life. So though the intercession of St. Martin de Porres may God bless you and protect you today and always. May God’s face smile upon you. May God’s grace enter into all you do. May you live today rich in a harvest of faith, hope and love which God has planted within you and may you always know that nothing can separate you from the love of God! Blessings to all and have a great day everyone. Peace in Christ’s Passion…Fr. Paul

Daily Thoughts - 11/02/2014

Daily Thoughts – Feast of All Souls – 11/02/2014

I have always liked our first reading today from the Book of Wisdom (Wisdom 3:1-9) especially this particular line, “But they are at peace.” This reading is often used at funerals, moments when people are remembering a loved one, a friend, someone who has been important in their life, who has passed on. In the midst of grief it can often be helpful to think of the person finally being at peace even if because of their passing we are not.

The Feast of All Souls is a day of remembrance. It gives us an opportunity to pause and remember the important people in our lives who have passed on. People who have left us physically, people whom we now hope are at peace now with God. It is a day when we remember them in a formal way at Eucharist and informally through stories and moments of prayer thankful for their presence in our lives.

I have always felt that the Feast of All Souls is really just the second half of the Feast of All Saints. Yesterday we celebrated the people formally named saints by the Church because of their faith filled lives, people who during their lives stepped out of the ordinary into the extraordinary and became examples, inspirations and role models within the Universal Church.

Today we remember, we celebrate, all those ordinary people who perhaps did not step into the extraordinary except in our lives, people who gave us life, who taught us, nurtured us, protected us, and guided us. We remember, we celebrate, today people who were with us from the beginning or who stepped into our lives for a brief moment that made a difference. These are people who are not honored by the Church as saints in a formal way but whom we perhaps honor in our own special way, as saints with a little “s” because we are thankful for their presence, inspiration and love.

We remember and we pray today for all who journeyed through this life with the sure and certain hope that God has found them worthy because he is the Good Shepherd with an overflowing cup that has brought them to peace!

Have a great Sunday everyone!

Daily Prayer: My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think that I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road though I may know nothing about it. Therefore will I trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone. (Prayer by Thomas Merton)

A Runner’s Thoughts: My thoughts and prayers go out to all running the NYC Marathon today. May they have a safe, healthy and joy filled run!

And to all running anywhere today - “Run when you can, walk if you have to, crawl if you must; just never give up.”  (Dean Karnazes)

Daily Blessing: Happy Sunday and Feast of All Souls everyone! Did you enjoy your extra hour of sleep last night? Did you remember to turn your clock back? Or are you late for everything today? In about an hour or so I will be off to Manhattan to spend the day cheering on all the runners in the NYC Marathon, especially those running for Fred’s Team (Memorial Sloan- Kettering Cancer Center). As I look out my window the wind is hollowing and it looks a bit chilly so my thoughts are with all the runners sitting on the Staten Island side of the Verrazano Bridge waiting for their chance to run. It is probably rather cold and the wind will be in their face for a good portion of the run. But that is what running is about so runners hang in there and when your time comes go with God!

I would like to send a shout out to my nephew-in-law, Dominick, who shares the same birthday with me. Dominick, may you, Sarah and little Natalie have a great day with many blessing today and always!

Now standing on a First Avenue sidewalk for six and a half hours in the cold and wind does not sound like an ideal way for someone to spend a birthday but five times I ran the NYC Marathon and in rain, wind and cold people came out and cheered me on so I am just trying to give a little back. Perhaps it will keep my mind off of being 61!

Once again, I offer a simple and peaceful blessing to all today – May our good God, bless us all as we celebrate this Feast of All Souls. May God bless us with gratitude for the gift of life, for those Holy Souls who touched our lives especially those who gave us life. May God bless us with thankfulness for the opportunity to celebrate and live life with people we love. May God bless us with gratitude for the many people who touch our lives each day and bring us in touch with the presence and grace of God. May God, continue to bless us with people, places, experiences that give us strength to believe, to be faithful, to have hope and to love. And may God bless us with the grace to keep living the gift that we are! I ask this blessing for all of us through Christ our Savior and Friend. Amen!

Have a great Sunday everyone! And don’t forget to give God a little time today too! Peace in Christ’s Passion…Fr. Paul