Daily Thoughts: “I should like
you to be free of anxieties.” (1 Corinthians 7:32) The opening words of the
second reading today show St. Paul’s desire that we and the Corinthians should
not give in to the anxieties of life. St. Paul knew that there were many things
about life that could cause people to be anxious and thus struggle. He reminds
the Corinthians and us that if we keep our focus on Christ we have a better
chance of moving beyond the anxieties and struggles of life. We have a better
chance of encountering the loving presence of God!
Jesus demonstrates exactly what St. Paul
is talking about in the Gospel today (Mark 1: 21:28). Jesus vision is true.
There isn’t any difference between his words and actions. What Jesus says can
be seen in the way he acts. Jesus is able to navigate through life this way
because of his with the Father. He keeps
his focus even when the unclean spirits of life challenge him.
Jesus’ power and authority come from his
relationship with the Father. It is an unwavering relationship. It is an
unrelenting relationship. It is a relationship not distracted by the world. It
is a relationship ground in love.
We can be free of anxiety if we are
willing to hear God’s voice and not let our hearts be hardened by the unclean
spirits of the world. Jesus and St. Paul
reminds us that it is God’s voice and presence in our lives through which
anxiety and struggle is replaced by comfort and love!
Have a great Sunday everyone and don’t
forget to give a little time to God today!
Daily Prayer:
Take, Lord, and receive all my liberty, my
memory, my understanding and my entire will, All I have and call my own. You
have given all to me. To you, Lord, I return it. Everything is yours; do with it what you will.
Give me only your love and your grace. That is enough for me. (Suscipe – St. Ignatius
of Loyola)
A Runner’s Thoughts: Here are some
words to ponder and perhaps even live by from Paul Maurer’s book, The Gift – A
Runner’s Story. “Running isn't a sport
for pretty boys...It's about the sweat in your hair and the blisters on your
feet. It’s the frozen spit on your chin and the nausea in your gut. It's about
throbbing calves and cramps at midnight that are strong enough to wake the
dead. It's about getting out the door and running when the rest of the world is
only dreaming about having the passion that you need to live each and every day
with. It's about being on a lonely road and running like a champion even when
there's not a single soul in sight to cheer you on. Running is all about having
the desire to train and persevere until every fiber in your legs, mind, and
heart is turned to steel. And when you've finally forged hard enough, you will
have become the best runner you can be. And that's all that you can ask
for.” And this is what faith is about
too!
Daily Blessing: Sunday
greetings and blessings to all and welcome to February! Well we have made it to Super Bowl Sunday and
by this time tomorrow we will only have to endure all the Monday morning
quarterback who will tell us what the winning team did right and losing team
did wrong and then they will speculate on who will win next year! Well whatever
happens may your team win and if you are going to a party or watching in the
comfort of your own home have a great time.
As for me I am head out in about 45
minutes for the 10 am Mass at St. John and St. Mary Parish in Chappaqua, NY and
then I have the 6 pm Mass at St. Francis de Sales Parish in Manhattan tonight.
In between I will have brunch with some friends and perhaps hit the gym for a
workout. No Super Bowl watching for me tonight. Sorry just cannot get into it.
When you don’t like either team it is not fun. Thank God for Netflix!
Wherever you are, whatever this day will
bring into your life, if you will be watching your favorite team, celebrating
your team’s victory, or mourning and debating its defeat or just anticipating
the work week and the busyness of that lies ahead. If you are resting and
relaxing or busy about many different things, if you are taking time to enjoy
the beauty of this day or worried about the coming storm or struggling through
a problem, no matter where you are or what you are doing – I offer this prayer
and blessing for you...
This is the Day that God has made let us
rejoice and be glad. May there always be work for us to do. May our pockets and purses always hold a coin
or two. May the sun always shine warm on our windowpanes. May a rainbow be
certain to follow each rain. May the hand of family, a loved one and a friend
always be near and may God fill our hearts with gladness and love that we in
turn can share! May God’s blessing be upon us all today and always. Peace in
Christ’s Passion…Fr. Paul
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