Daily Thoughts: Today’s
readings give us much food for thought unlike the opposite of the fig tree that
had no fruit in our Gospel today.
In the first reading from Sirach, the
writer asks us to call to memory faithful people from Israel’s past. All of us at times in our lives remember
important people who were faithful to a cause, to a journey and in some way
impacted our lives. Sometimes our memories come from stories shared at family
gatherings. Sometimes our remembrances come
from historical moments or the formal studies of significant people in history
and our faith. At times these stories may contain embellishments, but the
faith, courage, and good deeds they embrace help to focus our hearts toward
goodness and faith that we might try and bring to the living of life. These
good and faithful people become models that we can turn to for inspiration and
courage.
However as we live life we encounter
people each day who through the living of their lives touch us in direct and
concrete ways. Epic stories help us to
remember but everyday life has an impact too. Sometimes these everyday stories
even become epic stories because we keep them in our memories and call upon
them at important moments of our lives.
Sirach is reminding us that at times the
faith of the past can be a bridge that helps us walk into the future.
Faithfulness to God and to God’s friendship with us will carry us over the
deepest chasm and most difficult struggles in our lives.
Today’s Gospel begins with Jesus
entering the Temple area but it was late, so Jesus went to Bethany for the
night only to return day to drive out the buyers and sellers in the Temple
area. Before Jesus took it upon himself
to clear the Temple of business he first paused to look around. What did he see? Did he see beauty, as well as
distortion?
Often we are act before thinking; we
jump in with both feet before we really know what we are landing on. We act as
though we know what the real circumstances are. Our actions at time are based
on our memory or worse yet, based on how we might prefer to perceive
reality. Pausing and looking again can
be difficult. It might cause us to
change our understanding. Pausing might
even cause us to ask for help even from God so that we can see things
correctly!
In the Gospel today Jesus asks us to
pause but also to persevere in prayer and forgiveness. In fact it is our
willingness to forgive that helps our prayers find their way to God. Jesus pause
today in the Gospel put into perspective just what the Temple was all about. As
Jesus says, “my house shall be called a house of prayer for all people!”
Have a blessed Friday everyone!
Daily Prayer: O God, give us
insight into our friendships. Help us to see your gift of love, your presence
in them. Help us to be faithful friends to others, loyal, generous and kind.
Grant us the gift through our friendships to love and be loved. Bless our
friends this day and always with the richness of life and the faithfulness of
our love. Amen!
A Runner’s Thoughts: If we run as a
spiritual runner let us remember that it is being a runner that matters, it is
not how fast or how far we go. The joy, the gift is in running, in the journey
and not always in the destination. We have the best chance of encountering our
friend God, in the midst of our run when we remain focused in the present and
don’t think too far ahead! (I adapted
this from a quote by John Bingham, the author of No Need for Speed: A
Beginner's Guide to the Joy of Running.)
Daily Blessing: TGIF greetings
and blessing to everyone! I hope your Friday has started off well and it will
be a short one that will take you into a relaxing and fun weekend. The sun is
out here in Pelham and it looks to be another warm day. I hope the skies are bright, the sun is out
and the air is warm wherever you are today. I would also like to prayer for the
people of Texas and Oklahoma who have too much water and the people of
California who don’t have enough. Hopefully somewhere along the line soon things
will even out and no more lives will be lost!
My prayer today is that all will
encounter the wonderful tiny whispering sound of God’s presence in your life
today. That all of you will be renewed in your journey, your mission in life
and that in being honest with yourself you will overcome fear, hurt, anger,
loneliness, jealousy and fatigue to be the person of joy, hope and love that
God has created you to be! Enjoy your Friday and know you will all be in my
prayers today and always. May your day be safe and may your evening be blessed
with rest and peace! Peace in Christ’s Passion…Fr. Paul
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