Daily Thoughts: Today’s
readings (Numbers 21: 4-9 and John 8: 21-30) ask us to look at the nature and
the power of our sin in our life. It is
only when we do this that we can be healed from sin and its effects in our
lives and our world.
In the first reading we have the
familiar story of the people of the Exodus grumbling and complaining as they
wander through the desert. This
grumbling comes from the very people that God rescued from horrific oppression
in Egypt, under a Pharaoh who consumed their lives to feed his false god
persona, is grossly ungrateful. Not only
had God rescued them from slavery but God also provided food eat and a fresh
stream of pure water to drink, (from a rock no less). God is taking them to a land “flowing with
milk and honey” where they will be God’s people, protected and loved.
However, they are a whining group, who
can’t seem to see their own dependence upon God and the need to be grateful for
all that God has done for them. Their
sin of ingratitude is as twisting and venomous as a poison snake which kills
with its bite, but it can’t be recognized until it is lifted up on a pole and
each person has to look at it and see his or her own darkness of heart to be
“cured” of its effect.
In John’s Gospel the serpent on a stick
becomes an image for Jesus’ crucifixion.
When, battered and bleeding, he is “lifted up” in front of us. It then
becomes possible for us thankless sinners to see, to know, to recognize, and to
understand, through God’s grace, the nature and cost of our sin for ourselves,
our world and to our loving God. Jesus
took our sin into his own human personhood in order to put it to death and be
the instrument for our release from the sin that condemned him and all its
death-dealing consequences.
Our challenge today and always as we
live our lives in the pursuit the life of grace is each day to stand before the
cross and ask Jesus three questions: “What have I done for you? What am I now doing for you? What can I do
for you?”
Have a blessed Tuesday everyone!
Daily Prayer:
We put between us and all evil, the
Passion of Jesus Christ.
We put between us and all struggle, the
Passion of Jesus Christ.
We put between us and all
disappointment, the Passion of Jesus Christ.
We put between us and all loss, the
Passion of Jesus Christ.
We put between us and all weakness, the
Passion of Jesus Christ.
We put between us and all sinfulness,
the Passion of Jesus Christ.
We put between us and all violence, the
Passion of Jesus Christ.
We put between us and death, the Passion
of Jesus Christ.
May the Passion of Jesus Christ Be
Always in Our Hearts...Amen!
A Runner’s Thoughts: Running can
become a tool that helps us deal with the difficulties that we face. It can be
a time to release the negative energies in our life. It can be a time to let go
and let God!
Daily Blessing: Happy Tuesday
everyone! I hope your day is getting off to a good start. We had a good
beginning to the mission here at Divine Mercy Parish yesterday. The community
is small but enthusiastic and that is what is most important. So please
continue to keep the faith community of Divine Mercy in your prayers and if you
have the time please offer a short prayer for their preacher!
I pray that your day will be truly
blessed with many good things and many encounters with God’s grace. If it
hasn’t been a good start to the day I pray that your day will only get better
and become rich in the presence of God.
Again, my prayer for everyone is that
you will all have a faith filled day with many blessings and much peace. As
always you are in my prayers. Peace in Christ’s Passion…Fr. Paul
No comments:
Post a Comment