Daily Thoughts: “We have never
preached violence, except the violence of love, which left Christ nailed to a
cross, the violence that we must each do to ourselves to overcome our
selfishness and such cruel inequalities among us. The violence we preach is not
the violence of the sword, the violence of hatred. It is the violence of love,
of brotherhood, [of sisterhood,] the violence that wills us to beat weapons
into sickles for work.” (Blessed Oscar A.
Romero, The Violence of Love)
Jesus and Paul in our readings today (Colossians 1:1-8 and Luke 4:38-44) tell
us that they have come to proclaim the Good News. They do it in different ways
but their goal is always to bring the Good News to whomever they meet, whether
it is the community of believers at Colossae or the people in Capernaum or the
many towns beyond.
The Good News that Jesus and Paul bring
is the same Good News brought by Blessed Oscar Romero many centuries later. It
is the Good News of love. It is the Good News of the Cross. It is the Good news
of community. It is the Good News of no more war!
I believe there comes a point in a
believer’s life when we need to say enough. Enough violence! Enough war! Enough
hate! Enough disrespect for life! If we are truly a great silent majority, if
we truly want a world based on peace then it is time to say enough with one
great voice! It is time to proclaim and live the Good News.
Have a great day everyone!
Daily Prayer:
Lord, take us where You want us to go;
Let us meet who You want us to meet;
Tell us what You want us to say; and
Keep us out of your way. Amen
(Adapted from a prayer by Fr. Mychal
Judge)
A Runner’s Thoughts: “There are no
standards and no possible victories except the joy you are living while dancing
your run. You are not running for some future reward-the real reward is now!”
(Fred Rohe, The Zen of Running) And you are not running for some experience of
God in the future when you run you are running with God now! So enjoy the
company!
Daily Blessing: Wednesday,
“Hump Day” greetings and blessings to all! I hope your Wednesday has started
off well. The sun is out here in Long Beach and the forecast is for another hot
and humid day however being near the ocean seems to made that forecast a little
easier to take. May God bless you with the grace to make the struggles of this
day a little easier to take.
My prayer of blessing for all of you
today is that as we move into the busyness of September and these last formal
days of summer, God will bless you with some time to pause and take into
account your blessings, your gifts. The hopelessness of violence seems to be
all around us but as I have learned if we pause and take some time away from
the busyness of life often we encounter God’s gifts in very real and wonderful
ways. God’s presence is all around us we just have to not let the noise of the
world distract us from God. May God bless you with the gift of his presence
today is some small way so that you know you are loved and not alone!
Have a great Wednesday – Hump Day
everyone and please know as always you are in my prayers! Peace in Christ’s
Passion…Fr. Paul
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