Daily Thoughts - 10/12/2015

Daily Thoughts: Sometime the signs God gives us come from people and experiences we least expect. This little sentence might best sum up the Gospel (Luke 11: 29-32) today. Often we are looking for the great or the grand or the unusual when it comes to God. We want unbelievable miracles. Yet all around us God is speaking and often God can be found in unexpected places and heard through unexpected people.

Jonah himself did not think the people of Nineveh would get it but they did. The queen of Egypt did not believe in Solomon’s God but she came and could see and hear God’s wisdom in Solomon. It often has been said that, God works in mysterious ways and throughout scripture we are reminded of God’s mysterious ways!

The challenge for us is to not box God in, to not predict God’s intentions. We need to listen, to look around us and be ready to see, hear and experiences the presence of God in our lives. We cannot write-off people or experience because we never know when we will find God through them.

The signs of Jonah and the queen of the south are all around us. We just have to be ready, willing and open to see and hear them!

Have a great Monday everyone!

Daily Prayer: Today, grace us O loving God with minds to know you, hearts to seek you, wisdom to find you, a living of life that will be pleasing to you, faithful perseverance in waiting for you, and the hope of finally embracing you. Amen.

(Adapted from a prayer by St. Thomas Aquinas)

A Runner’s Thoughts: “For every runner who tours the world running marathons, there are thousands who run to hear the leaves and listen to the rain, and look to the day when it is suddenly as easy as a bird in flight.” (George Sheehan)

Daily Blessing: Monday greetings to everyone! I hope you all had a nice weekend, one that provide you with a little rest and relaxation or the company of family and good friends or the solitude and quiet of just being able to enjoy life or perhaps a little of all three!

I would like to send a shout out to all those who ran the Steamtown Marathon in Scranton, PA yesterday. I am sorry I missed it this year and I hope it was a safe and great run for everyone. A special shout out to Mark Monahan who is very faith full to Steamtown and a great runner! I hope it was a good run for you mark!

Happy Columbus Day everyone! Some of you may be off today for others it is a regular work day. This holiday has its controversy but it is a time to remember the founding of this new part of the world. It is a time to remember the desire of humankind to go beyond the safe boundaries of life. But it is a time to remember the native people of this part of the world and all they had to suffer and endure because of greed, violence and the lack of respect for others, three things that still haunt out lives as human being. Let us use this day to not only relax but also to find God in the places we go, the things we do and the people we meet so that what happened to the native people of this part of the world and in many other places never happens again!

I would ask your continued prayers for the Synod on the Family taking place in Rome that God's Spirit of Wisdom will be upon all gathered. I would also ask your prayers for the Passionist Synod of Provincials which begins today at our Generalate in Rome. May God's Spirit of Wisdom and Grace be with those participating in this special time for the Passionists.

I hope your week ahead will not be too busy and if you are facing busyness, struggles, challenges or uncertainly please know that you are in my prayers. Following the theme of the Gospel today my prayer of blessing for you is that you, in the midst of your busy life are open to the many experiences of God that will touch your life today!

Loving God I ask your blessing upon us today that even though our lives are filled with many things, even though we are busy about many things, even though sometimes it is hard to know you are with us that you will gift us today with your grace to be aware of the many times, many ways and the many people that bring your presence to us. Help us to not miss the unexpected. Help us to be open to your mysterious ways. Bless my friends as they live life today! Have a great Monday! Peace in Christ’s Passion…Fr. Paul