Daily Thoughts - 11/02/2015

Daily Thoughts – 11/02/2014

I have always liked our first reading today from the Book of Wisdom (Wisdom 3:1-9) especially this particular line, “But they are at peace.” This reading is often used at funerals, moments when people are remembering a loved one, a friend, someone who has been important in their life, who has passed on. In the midst of grief it can often be helpful to think of the person finally being at peace even if because of their passing we are not.

The Feast of All Souls is a day of remembrance. It gives us an opportunity to pause and remember the important people in our lives who have passed on. People who have left us physically, people whom we now hope are at peace now with God. It is a day when we remember them in a formal way at Eucharist and informally through stories and moments of prayer thankful for their presence in our lives.

I have always felt that the Feast of All Souls is really just the second half of the Feast of All Saints. Yesterday we celebrated the people formally named saints by the Church because of their faith filled lives, people who during their lives stepped out of the ordinary into the extraordinary and became examples, inspirations and role models within the Universal Church.

Today we remember, we celebrate, all those ordinary people who perhaps did not step into the extraordinary except in our lives, people who gave us life, who taught us, nurtured us, protected us, and guided us. We remember, we celebrate, today people who were with us from the beginning or who stepped into our lives for a brief moment that made a difference. These are people who are not honored by the Church as saints in a formal way but whom we perhaps honor in our own special way, as saints with a little “s” because we are thankful for their presence, inspiration and love.

We remember and we pray today for all who journeyed through this life with the sure and certain hope that God has found them worthy because he is the Good Shepherd with an overflowing cup that has brought them to peace!

Have a great Monday everyone!

Daily Prayer: Loving God, welcome into your calm and peaceful kingdom those who have departed out of this present life to be with you. Grant them rest and a place with the spirits of the just. Give them the life that knows no age, the reward that passes not away and touch us with the gift of their peaceful spirit as we continue the journey here on earth. We make our prayer through Christ our Lord. Amen (Adapted from a prayer by St. Ignatius of Loyola)

A Runner’s Thoughts: “I run because if I didn’t, I’d be sluggish and glum and spend too much time on the couch. I run to breathe the fresh air. I run to explore. I run to escape the ordinary. I run… to savor the trip along the way. Life becomes a little more vibrant, a little more intense. I like that.” (Dean Karnazes)

Daily Blessing: Monday greetings and blessing to all and happy feast of All Souls.

I hope your weekend went well and that your Monday has gotten off to a good start!

The mission here at St. Bartholomew’s got off to a wonderful start last night. We had a very spirit filled crowd and it was a good opening evening. Today we will have two sessions. One in the morning at 9:00 am and the other in the evening at 7:00 pm. I hope we can carry the spirit and enthusiasm into this second day. Please keep the faith community here at St. Bartholomew’s in your prayers today and if you could offer an extra prayer for their preacher it would be greatly appreciated!

I would like to send a shout out to my nephew-in-law, Dominick, who celebrates his birthday today – Happy Birthday, Dominick! Also congrats to you, Sarah and Natalie as I heard yesterday that you all will be having a new addition to the family come May! May Sarah have a safe journey during these months of waiting and may the newest member of the Saguto family be born healthy and blessed!

I would also like to send a shout out today to my sister, Bernadette, my brother-in-law John and my nephew Paul blessings on your journey!

As we begin this new work week I offer a simple and peaceful blessing to all today – May our good God, bless us all as we celebrate this Feast of All Souls. May God bless us with gratitude for the gift of life, for those Holy Souls who touched our lives especially those who gave us life. May God bless us with thankfulness for the opportunity to celebrate and live life with people we love. May God bless us with gratitude for the many people who touch our lives each day and bring us in touch with the presence and grace of God. May God, continue to bless us with people, places, experiences that give us strength to believe, to be faithful, to have hope and to love. And may God bless us with the grace to keep living the gift that we are! I ask this blessing for all of us through Christ our Savior and Friend. Amen!

Have a great Monday everyone! Peace in Christ’s Passion…Fr. Paul