Daily
Thoughts:
“Run away from God,” that is Jonah’s response to what God asks of him and I
have to say that there have been many times in my own life when I would have
liked to have done the same thing. Sometimes what God seems to be asking of us
just doesn’t feel right. Sometimes what God asks of us seems beyond our
ability. Sometimes what God asks of us isn’t fun. Sometimes what God asks of us
puts us at odds with the world around us. So why not run?
Well
as we find out in the story of Jonah today (Jonah 1:1-2; 2, 11) you can run but
you can’t hide from God! Somehow, someway God is going to find you and put you
right back in the middle of things or God will find someone else to do the job.
The priest and the Levite ran away but God persisted and the Samaritan did not
(Luke 10: 25-37). You can hear the voice
of Pope Francis in the Gospel today. He echoes Jesus’ voice on who is our
neighbor. Our neighbors are the people in most need and our challenge is to
always show mercy.
When
faced with this challenge we can always run, we can always try to hide, we can
always make excuses. But God is always going to find us, perhaps not in this
life but when it most counts the life to come and if we haven’t responded, if
we haven’t been merciful we will find ourselves in a terrible and unending
storm!
There
have been many moments in my life when I felt like running away from God and it
was the simple prayer, the Our Father that held me in place. The Our Father is
often the formal prayer that I pray when running because of its simplicity and
power.
Today
we are challenged to be merciful to the people around us. We are challenged not
to run from God when things get difficult or don’t go our way and to keep our
feet grounded in God and our eyes open to the needs of others.
Have
a great Monday everyone!
Daily
Prayer:
Our
Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Your name; Your kingdom come; Your will
be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and
forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead
us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.
Take
some time to say one Our Father, a simple prayer to enliven your journey
through life today!
A Runner’s
Thoughts:
“Running is a mental [and spiritual] sport, more than anything else. You're
only as good as your training, and your training is only as good as your
thinking [and your praying].” (Lauren Oliver) So take some time to think and
pray today!
Daily
Blessing:
Happy Monday everyone! I hope you had a great weekend and that your team or
teams all won. If they didn’t just remember there is always, tomorrow, next
week or next year!
I
looks to be a partly sunny, partly cloudy day here in Pelham. Fall is certainly
in the air but in a good and life giving way. I hope the day has started off
well wherever you are. I will home all day waiting for the dishwasher repair
person. This is the third time in two years that this dishwasher has been
broken – can we all say lemon! Who know how long this repair will take.
Otherwise it is nice to be home and I have a lot of paperwork that needs done
before I hit the road again so not all will be lost.
May God’s
blessings be upon you today. Blessings that help you to live your truth; to express
your love; to share your enthusiasm; to walk by faith; to dance and sing to
your music; to embrace your blessings; to make today worth remembering; and to
offer the world and those around you the gift that God has created you to be!
Blessings
to all and have a great Monday everyone! Peace in Christ’s Passion…Fr. Paul
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