Daily Thoughts: As I we
preparing this week for my Sunday homily I ran across a reflection that
mentioned one of my favorite movies, the Shawshank Redemption. The person
reflecting on the Sunday readings focused on a very important line in the movie,
one that I have used often in talks and homilies – “I guess it comes down to a
simple choice really: Get busy living or
get busy dying.”
Yes, it does come down to a simple
choice our life is either about living or dying. I believe, like to author of
the reflection I read, that this simple choice is what sits underneath the
words of our readings today. We have been reading the sixth chapter of John’s
Gospel for a month now and Jesus has reminded us over and over that he is the
Bread of Life, that he is the Cup of Blessing, of Salvation, that he is the
food of life. However it is up to us to believe and perhaps more importantly to
live this gift.
In our reading from the Book of Proverbs
we are reminded of the importance, the value and the gift that wisdom is but
once again we have to live it. Day in and day out we experience people whom we
think are smart, well educated, wise do and say foolish things. It seems like
every day we encounter a person who has a brain cramp, a moment when all their
knowledge and wisdom goes right out the window. They post something on Twitter,
Facebook or some other social media that was better left unsaid, written or
spoken and life comes crashing down. We all do stupid things even that the
gift, the banquet of wisdom is all around us.
We over eat, we get indigestion for a
moment and it can have a profound if not permanent effect on our lives. Wisdom
is a gift, a gift of the Holy Spirit, it is a attribute of God but it can only
help us if we live it.
St. Paul in his letter to the Ephesians
reminds us to be smart in the way we live life. He reminds us to find our focus
– Jesus, and to live always by this focus. If we do this we will be using the
gift of wisdom and the craziness and evil of the world will not overcome us.
For St. Paul and the writer of the Book of Proverbs it is moderation in
everything but God!
In all of our scriptures today the
message is clear – “Get busy living because the alternative is dying!” As you
receive the Bread of Life today make sure you take it forth with you into the world
as you are busy today and everyday living life in Christ to the fullest.
Have a blessed Sunday everyone and don’t
forget to give God a little time today!
Daily Prayer:
O Lord, when we receive you we accept
our day just as it is.
We do not need to have any lofty
feelings in our heart to recount to you.
We can lay our day before you just as it
is,
for we receive it from you yourself,
the day and its inward light,
the day and all its meaning,
the day and the power to endure it,
the pure awareness of it,
which becomes the faint vision of your
eternal life. (Adapted from a prayer by Fr.
Karl Rahner, S.J.)
A Runner’s Thoughts: “But with any
obstacle in our lives, there are those moments, despite the setbacks, where
there is a glimmer of hope.” (Rebekah Gregory) And we live in the light of that
hope…
Daily Blessing: Sunday
greetings and blessings to all. I know I sound like a broken record but it is
another beautiful day. I had two masses this morning the 8am and the 10am and
it looked like people were headed start for the beach after each mass. I should
have just told everyone to meet me at the beach and we could have just
celebrated mass there.
I hope your Sunday has started off well
and that the weather by you is cooperating though I know some place are very
hot, some places are dry and dealing with deadly fires. I just hope and pray
you can find some goodness, joy, beauty and rest wherever you are today.
I pray that God’s blessing will be upon
your Sunday filling it with the richness of joy, hope and the goodness of God’s
presence. May today be filled with God’s Holy Spirit that will enable you to
get busy living life! Peace in Christ’s Passion…Fr. Paul
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