Daily Thoughts: Our readings
today offer us a challenge. In the first reading (1 John 4:7-10) John continues
his emphasis on love as the key element for knowing God. Without love we are
lost. The way we find love, experience love is through God, because God so
loved us that he gave us his only son, God teaches us about love.
The Gospel (Mark 6:34-44) echoes John's
reflections but in a different way. Jesus challenges us to focus beyond
ourselves, to have love for others. He is moved with pity at the vast crowd, he
wants to help them spiritually but also physically. They need to eat, they need
to be nourished. The disciples want Jesus to send them home, to get rid of
them. Let them take care of themselves! Not Jesus, he cares not just about
himself, his disciples, but about everyone. God so loves all of us.
Now for me the interesting part of the
Gospel is how Jesus goes about teaching here. Now before I go any further I
need to say that I truly believe a miracle took place here. Jesus did take the
five loaves and the two fish and feed the five thousand. It was a miracle, but
he also taught his disciples and us a valuable lesson, he taught us to sharing.
If we look around at what we have we can make it work for ourselves and others.
Yes, a miracle fed the five thousand but a teaching about sharing what we have
out of love for the other was the main objective. Jesus did not feed the five
thousand from nothing, he asked what was available and from what people had he
fed the crowd. It was not magic it was a miracle!
Sometimes we get caught up in what we
need and we forget the person beside us. All of us have more than we need and
sometimes what we have can help others. What we have put together with what
others have brings about a miracle. Love needs to be share for its true value
to be experienced!
Have a great Tuesday everyone!
Daily Prayer: Loving God,
teach us today to look beyond ourselves, to see the needs of others and respond
to those needs out of the gifts, talents and abilities we have. Help us to
bring about a miracle that feeds the many in need of God's love today. Transform
us into people alive in your love! Amen!
A Runner's Thoughts: Transform an
ordinary run into a sacred run by bringing to the run a sense of God presence
in you!
Daily Blessing: Happy Tuesday
everyone! To all around the world who celebrate the Epiphany today – Happy
Epiphany! To all who find strength and draw upon the spirit of Br. André on
this the Feast of St. André Bessette, especially religious brothers – Happy
Feast Day!
In recent weeks I have spent a little
more time than usual in Manhattan, and even though it has not been extremely
cold yet I still find it difficult seeing homeless people sleeping in doorways and
other places on the streets.
Last year around this time I spent after
an afternoon in Manhattan and I was making my way along 47th Street on my way
to the train and I pass a mother and two children. They were begging. At first
I just walked by trying to pretend like I didn’t see or hear them, however
something, someone inside my heart told me to stop and go back. I reached into
my pocket and gave the woman what I had and said please get something to eat.
She smiled and said thanks as did her daughter and son.
I walked away feeling good for the
moment. However, all the way home on the train I wondered where will they sleep
tonight? The image of that mother and children still haunts me today. I continue
to wonder where do they sleep each night and there are so many more just like
them across our country and around the world. We have so much to offer as a
country, as a nation, as a world but people go to bed each night hungry and not
in their own home or any home. Why don’t people have food and a warm and safe
place to sleep?
There are probably many answers to these
questions and some are beyond our control but somewhere along the line we have
got to learn to care for people. It is the challenge of our Gospel today and
every day!
I pray today for all of us that we will
learn to share what we have so that a miracle happens in our life time where no
one is hungry and everyone goes to sleep safe and warm. May our loving God
bless all of us today with the wisdom, understanding, compassion, and love to
be people willing to share the gift of ourselves with everyone we meet. May
God’s blessing help us to remember that sharing our gifts can make the
impossible – possible!
Pope Francis has told us be people who -
“Instead of imposing new obligations, (Christians) should appear as people who
wish to share their joy, who point to a horizon of beauty and who invite others
to a delicious banquet.” (Pope Francis)
Let’s take up the challenge of the
Gospel and give a simple gift to someone today in honor of the magi, in honor
of the Holy Family, in honor of God’s presence in your life!
I pray today that you have a blessed and
holy day and may you encounter only the Spirit of God in your work, your
travels and your living of life! Blessing to all today – Be well, be safe and
be warm! Peace in Christ's Passion...Fr. Paul
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