Daily Thoughts: Being in one of
the few places in the States that still celebrates the Ascension today I am
working off the readings for the Feast of the Ascension of the Lord.
“Men Galilee, why are you standing there
looking at the sky?” I have always liked this little phase at the beginning of
the Acts of the Apostles. For me it sets the stage for everything that Luke is
going to tell Theophilus about Jesus and this community call Church. Perhaps
this question directed at Jesus’ followers just after he ascended into heaven
sits at the center of our life as Church.
Sometimes as a Church I think we are
standing there look up at the sky. We are looking at the past. We are looking
at what use to be and not what is. We are looking back hoping the past will be
the present and the future.
The angel’s question to the disciples
perhaps was not just a question but a challenge. Are you going to continue to
stand here and just look up at the sky? Are you going to live in the past, put
your hope in the past? Or are you going to get busy and be about the ministry
Jesus has entrusted you with, are you going to get busy about living of life.
In the movie the Shawshank Redemption
Andy at one point tells Red, “I guess it comes down to a simple choice, really.
Get busy living or get busy dying.” Perhaps that is what the angel is asking
Jesus’ disciples the day of the Ascension. What are they now going to do with
the mission, the ministry that Jesus has entrusted them with? Their choices are
to stand here and keep looking up at the sky, waiting for Jesus to return,
thinking of the past or they can get busy living the life, the faith, the hope,
the love that Jesus has entrusted to them.
We might say that this celebration of
the Feast of the Ascension challenges us in the same way. Are we as a Church
just going to stand around looking, waiting for Jesus, are we going to stand in
the midst of the past and wait or are we as a people of faith going to get busy
living out our faith through the gifts of the Spirit?
Happy Feast of the Ascension everyone
whether you celebrate it today or this coming Sunday, may you truly be busy
about living your life with faith, hope and love in God!
Daily Prayer: O God of all
life, enliven us with the gift of your Spirit to be busy about living not busy
about dying today. Help us with your grace to live life to its fullest and not
stand gazing back into the past hoping for what was. Today is a new day and may
we live it with energy, enthusiasm and faith. Grace our hearts with the fire of
your love that we might bring the gifts of faith, hope and love to a world so
in need of them. Amen!
A Runner’s Thoughts: Let us think of
each run we make as having two distinct parts. I will call them the outward run
and the inward run. The outward run is what we encounter as we run, creation,
people, sounds, experiences, how we feel, the distance involved. The inward run
is what we encounter about ourselves as we run. How we are feeling. What
struggles we have physically, emotionally and spiritually. What we bring on the
run that is within us, good and bad. Both parts of our runs are physical,
emotional and spiritual. So let us be aware, let us listen, and let us focus
outwardly and inwardly because each part of our run can bring us to God.
Daily Blessing: Thursday greetings
and blessings everyone and Happy Feast of the Ascension, whether you are in the
part of the world celebrating it today or on Sunday! May we always be people
who are busy about living!
I off this morning to celebrate a Day of
Recollection with the women of the Altar and Rosary Society of St. Ignatius
Martyr Parish in Long Beach, the day will be held at Our Lady of Grace
Spiritual Center in Manhasset, NY. We
will begin at 9:00 am and end around 3:00 pm. The sun is out here in Pelham and
it is a little cooler but it should be a nice day at least weather wise! I
trust your day will be a good one rich in the grace of God.
My prayer of blessing today comes from
St. Anselm of Canterbury. O God, let us know you and love you today so that we
may find our joy in you; and if we cannot do so fully in this life, help us to
at least make some progress today and every day, until at last we may know the
fullness of your joy and love! O God, bless us this day make it a day rich in
your joy and love. May we not stand just looking but may we bring you to the
world! Peace in Christ’s Passion and Joy in the Risen Lord…Fr. Paul
No comments:
Post a Comment