Daily Thoughts - 03/07/2015

Daily Thoughts: The story of the Forgiving Father is what we are asked to reflect on today. I have used this parable many times, often when I am preparing young people for the Sacrament of Reconciliation. For me the first half of the story about the younger son and his return home is a great image for the sacrament. All the elements of the sacrament are there, recognition of sinfulness, the journey to the sacrament, saying we are sorry and forgiveness.

The second half of the story about the older brother reflects another side of sinfulness. We often only think of sinfulness as bad things that we do. We think of the Ten Commandments. However, sin can be what we don't do. Sin can be standing in judgment, self-righteousness, pride, envy, jealousy and anger especially when we think we are right. Sin can be refusing to be part of the family, part of the faith community. Sin can be thinking only of ourselves and playing the victim card.

I have always felt this story presented the two sides of sin and often for many of us the older brother is where we usually find ourselves. The hopeful sign in the story is that the father is in the whole story. He is wherever we are. Always willing to forgive, always willing to welcome us home, always willing to come out and welcome us into the family, into the celebration. All we have to do is let go of what we have done or failed to do and accept his forgiveness, his love!

Have a blessed Saturday everyone!

Daily Prayer: Compassionate God; grace us with the strength to make the journey home to you. Give us the wisdom to see our faults, our failings, our struggles and to accept your forgiveness. Fill us with a hope that helps us to see past our disappointments, that helps us to let go of our pride, our envy, our jealousy, our resentment, our anger so that we may always be a part of the family, a part of the celebration. Embrace us with your presence so that we may always believe that you are our kind, merciful and loving God. Amen!

A Runner's Thoughts: As you run look for good in the world that you pass by, look for good in the people you encounter, sense the good in you and know you do not run alone, God runs with you!

Daily Blessing: Saturday greetings and blessings to all! I hope you had a restful night, one that has allowed you to rise refreshed and ready to begin a new day.

This afternoon I begin a new mission at St. Ignatius Martyr Parish in Long Beach, NY. For all of you in the Long Beach area the mission will be Monday thru Wednesday at 9:00 am and 7:30 pm. The morning mission talk will take place after the 9:00 am mass and the evening talk will be a prayer service except for Wednesday which will be mass at 7:30 pm. If you are in the area come and join us! As always I ask your prayers this coming week for the faith community at St. Ignatius Martyr and for their preacher!

My prayer of blessing on this Saturday is that your love may more and more abound both in understanding and wealth of experience and that through the blessings of God love you will always value the things that really matter. May God blessing us all with the joy of the Gospel this day and always! Remember to make a joyful noise with your life today. Peace in Christ’s Passion…Fr. Paul

Daily Thoughts - 03/06/2015

Daily Thoughts: Our scriptures for today present us with two issues that we often face in life. They are jealousy and holding on to what we think is best and not what God thinks is best.

Certainly the familiar story of Joseph and his brothers reminds us of what jealousy, what envy can do to us. How they can make us think and act toward others, even people we love. Perhaps like the religious leaders of Jesus' time Joseph's brothers reflect only on the narrowness of their life rather than seeing the bigger picture. Rather than trusting in their father's love.

I think it is only human to want to be recognized, to want to be valued, to want to be loved. The story tells us that Israel loved his sons but that he had a special affection for Joseph because he was the last and the son of Israel's old age. How often do we hear the saying, "Mon and dad liked you best!" It happens, or it seems to happen. Mothers and fathers often have a special feeling for one of their children but it never means that they do not love the others. Yet, that human emotion of wanting attention, of wanting a special love can overwhelm us and make us do stupid things.

Thinking we know best is equally as troublesome. The religious leaders get a lesson in what they have done wrong from Jesus today. How they have ignored God's way and walked down their own path. How they have ignored the presence of God in their life in order to hold on to their own power, authority and way of life. God is in their midst yet they fail to see. They fail to respond. They fail to grow!

What can we take away from our readings today perhaps that they are an opportunity to reflect on our own lives? How often do we look around and feel sorry for ourselves because God seems to love others more than us? How often does the presence of others make us uncomfortable even jealous because we think they have something we do not? Yet, we are all blessed by God; we are all created in the image and likeness of God. We all have a place, a purpose and meaning here in this world. God loves us all. The question is can we recognized, accept and live out that love. Can we believe and trust in God's love for us?

Finally are we willing to accept and buy into God's way or does it always have to be our way. In the midst of living life are we willing to see God's presence and grow in the presence? Can we recognize God standing in our midst or do we have a better idea?

Have a blessed Friday everyone!

Daily Prayer: Almighty and ever living God, strengthen us on our journey through life today. Help us to be open to you presence in the many different ways you might walk into our life. Give us the wisdom to recognize you and the trust to follow your way. Bless us with the hope and joy that all things that come from you are gifts of your love. Forgive us for our moments of selfishness and envy. Enliven our hearts so that we will always be your joy and love in the world. Amen!

A Runner's Thoughts: As we run today let us think of the impossible made possible through hard work, dedication and the prayer that we allow our runs to become.

Daily Blessing: Friday greetings and blessings to everyone! This morning was an early morning for me as I had the 7:30 am Mass at Mount St. Michael’s High School in the Bronx. I also had to clear off my car as I decided not to go out yesterday. So my car is now clean and I am once again cold to the bone! I wish I had a dollar for every time I clear my car of ice and snow this winter I would be a rich man!

I hope you day has started off better than mine though I have to say it was made better with the celebration of mass a little while ago. I hope your end of the work week is a good one and that you are looking forward to a great weekend with a little rest and relaxation! If things are busy today I hope it is a good busy. If not I hope you can make it through today and that tomorrow will be better.

My prayer of blessing today is a simple one that all continue to be blessed by God so that we can truly be joyful people on our journey through Lent and life. I pray that in some way we all will feel and experience God's blessing, God’s joy and God's love today! Peace in Christ's Passion...Fr. Paul

Daily Thoughts - 03/05/2015

Daily Thoughts: Well our scriptures today continue the theme that has been with us for the last few days; it is the theme of looking beyond ourselves. We have in the Gospel today the famous story of the rich man and Lazarus the poor man who sits at the rich man door. Lazarus is covered in sores. At first glance we might it seems to be the rich man wealth that is the problem and I am sure that many preachers have taken that approach in preaching about this Gospel. However, at closer inspection it is not wealth that is the problem it is the rich man's way of life, it is how he lives. It is how he uses his wealth. He fails to see Lazarus at his door and if he does see him he ignores him.

In the Gospels when Jesus talks about wealth it is never to condemn the person just because they have wealth it is always about what we do with it. Do we hoard it? Do we only care for ourselves? Or do we see the world and the needs of the world? Do we let our wealth work for the betterment of others? Do we help those in need with our wealth?  This not only pertains to money and possessions, it is also about the gifts and talents that we have that can not only help us but others. Once again like the last few days this is about service, it is about being humble because all that we have comes from God and needs to be shared!

In the first reading from Jeremiah we are reminded that one of the important values of our life is trust, specifically trust in God. This value can help with the above challenge of service. If we trust in God, if we make God part of our life then our riches, our gifts, our talents, our resources are much easier to share, because we know that God is with us.

Once again our challenge is to think outside the box. Conventional wise says store up treasures for ourselves, make sure our life is comfortable, eat, drink, rest, be merry. But as people of faith God demands our lives. We are to be disciples, we are to be servants, we are to make what we have work for the good of others. We are to be people whose trust and hope is in God. We are to be rich in what matters to God. Remember "the Lord, alone probes the mind and tests the heart, and rewards everyone according to her or his ways, according to the merits of her or his deeds." Let us be people who trust and hope in God. Let us be people rich in the presence of God!

Have a blessed Thursday everyone!

Daily Prayer: Loving God, direct our hearts this day to be your servants in all we do. Enliven us with the fire of your Spirit of Love. Grace us with a steadfast faith, a spirited hope so that all we do will be effective in helping ourselves and others experience your loving presence. You are the Heart of Love and we want to place all our trust in you. We know that we are not perfect, we struggle with our weaknesses but we place our hope in you to bring about the richness of life this day from your goodness. Amen!

A Runner's Thoughts: Run without fear today, breathe, run and permit the spirit of God's loving presence to be in each stride you take!

Daily Blessing: Thursday greetings and blessings to all! I drove home in the pouring rain last night only to wake up this morning to another snow storm. I am really getting tired of cleaning off my car and today I will probably have to chip away ice! Spring! Where is Spring? Warmth! Where is Warmth? – Sorry just had to vent a little!

The mission at St. John the Evangelist Parish in Mahopac, NY ended nicely last night. It was a wonderful three days and evenings even with the snow, ice and rain and I think many good things happen. I thank you for all your prayers this week. I have a little break now before I head to St. Ignatius Martyr Parish in Long Beach, NY on Saturday to begin a mission there. 

I would also like to send a shout out to my nephew, Paul, who celebrates his birthday today - Happy Birthday, Paul! Hopefully you will get a nice present from your Dayton Flyers who seem to be playing so well. Once again, Happy Birthday and many blessings today and always! Have a great day. Go Flyers! (I really didn't say that). And blessings great sensei!

I pray for God’s blessings on everyone today that we will have a peaceful Thursday without too many struggles or problems. That today will be rich in presence of God especially in the people we encounter through this day. Blessings upon everyone today, have a great day and enjoy the day wherever you are and in whatever you are doing! Peace in Christ's Passion...Fr. Paul

Daily Thoughts - 03/04/2015

Daily Thoughts: Usually when I hear today's Gospel the thought that comes into mind is, "Right question, wrong time!" What I mean by this is that Mrs. Zebedee asks the right question but it at the wrong time. She wants the best for her sons; she wants eternal life, who doesn't? It is the goal of every person of faith. Yet if we listen to the passage closely, Jesus has just talked to them about what lies ahead, he has shared with them the reality of his Passion and Death. What's their response, "Can my sons have a place of honor in the Kingdom?" If Jesus were like us he might have responded, "Lady, did you just hear what I said!" But he doesn't, Jesus turns it once again into a teaching moment in the hope his disciples will continue to grow.

We might say that Mrs. Zebedee's question is a typical human response when someone is sharing their deep human emotions and feelings. When someone shares with us a personal struggle, a personal tragedy, a personal hurt or pain, at those moments we tend to want to change the subject or turn inward and think of ourselves. Jesus and the readings the last few days have been trying to focus us beyond ourselves. A disciple serves. A disciple looks outward toward others. A disciple tries to right the wrongs of society. A disciple thinks of those who have no one to help them. A disciple is not concern about herself or himself. A disciple has entrusted herself or himself to God. Jesus uses this moment today to once again make this point. He has "not come to be served but to serve and to give his life in ransom for the many."

Jeremiah wants to know why bad things happen to good people. Why for all the good work he has done he faces being repaid with death? All he did was to bring God's message to the people. All he did was be a faithful disciple. What Jeremiah learns and what eventually Jesus' disciples learn is that discipleship is not easy and often dangerous. Yet if we trust in God, if we look beyond ourselves to others God will take care of us when it counts most.

As we make our way through this Lenten let us listen to the story and Jesus and not respond by think just of ourselves but let us trust in God's kindness and love because we too are will to serve rather than be served. We too are willing to look beyond ourselves for the sake of the Kingdom!

Have a blessed Wednesday everyone!

Daily Prayer: Loving God help us today and always to be your disciples. Teach us the value of good works for others. Grace us with the energy and spirit that will make us joyous servants with a willingness to give of the gifts we have for the good of others and the Kingdom. Bestow upon us an abundance of your compassionate love so that we have the strength to walk down any road in life knowing you will never leave us alone! Amen!

A Runner's Thoughts: As we run today let us remember that a meditative prayerful runner is fortunate enough to have found a way that refreshes the body and renews the spirit, thus enabling the runner to be born again with every runner in the presence of God.

Daily Blessing: Wednesday greetings and blessings to all! I hope all of you have gotten off to a good start today and may your day to be blessed with many good things and many encounters with God’s grace. If it hasn’t been a good start to the day hang in there I am praying that your day will only get better.

I find myself in Mahopac this morning as I did not chance driving home on the ice last night. The pastor found a bed for me so I stayed. Needless to say we did not have much of a crowd for the evening service last night. But this is life when you do missions in the middle on the winter! I think I will move to Australia where Lent is in the middle of the summer. I ask your prayers for this final day of mission, for the faith community here at St. John the Evangelist and for their preacher.

May God bless us all today with the gifts of faithfulness, hopefulness and loving care for others. May God bless us with the strength to stake our lives on the promises of God. Again, everyone have a faith filled day with many blessings and much peace. As always you are in my prayers. Peace in Christ’s Passion…Fr. Paul

Daily Thoughts - 03/03/2015

Daily Thoughts: Now I have to admit to you that I struggle every time I hear or read today's Gospel. The images that Jesus uses to talk about the religious leadership of his time seem all too familiar and being a part of the leadership of our Church I wonder about myself and whether I am making the same mistakes as those Jesus is talk about in the Gospel.

I think about the scandals and struggles of the Church today and wonder if the very pitfalls that Jesus points out about the leadership of his day are not alive and well in the leadership of the Church today. Let's remember that the Scribes and Pharisees of Jesus' day were good people for the most part. They were doing what they thought they were supposed to do. However they were caught up in a religious leadership culture that had developed over centuries. They thought they were doing what was right.

Many in religious leadership today are good people doing what they think is right, but they caught up in the leadership culture that has developed over centuries. But like in Jesus' time does that make it right and life giving?

For me whether you are part of the religious leadership of today or not the challenge of the Gospel is that of being a humble servant. Throughout my life and ministry as a priest I have always imaged myself as a servant and a shepherd. Those are the two images that make the most sense to me for who I am and how I am supposed to live. I work at trying to be a humble person but I am not always successful. What always brings me back to reality when I get too full of myself is that I am a servant nothing more.

Too often today we see people in leadership who feel entitled, who look for the places of honor, who seek out titles, who do place burdens on others without any thought of helping. They become people who are distant, at times unapproachable and certainly not shepherds or servants!

Perhaps our task today in to pray for leadership, especially within our Church that they - we might find the virtues of servant and shepherd once again. That they - we might take to hearts the words of Jesus and seek to be humble servants who learn to do good again!

Have a great day everyone!

Daily Prayer: Loving God, we pray today not just for ourselves but also for those who lead us. Give us and all in leadership the wisdom to see the value of humility and service. Help us to overcome the desires of entitlement, power, influence and status. Grant us the grace to be compassionate, hope filled and loving servants and shepherds. Guide us with your love so that everything we do will show the saving power of God. Amen!

A Runners' Thoughts: A runner who embarks on the journey of prayer and running can expect surprises, missteps, and perhaps great leaps toward a relationship with God! So as you run never underestimate the power of dreams, the influence of the human spirit and the presence of God!

Daily Blessing: Tuesday greetings and blessings to all, I hope your day has started off well and that it will continue to be a good day for you. If it has not I pray that it will only get better.

We began our celebration of mission yesterday at St. John the Evangelist Parish in Mahopac, NY. The first day went very well. We had two good sessions in the morning and evening and there was a good great spirit at both. I ask your continued prayers for the faith community at St. John’s and their preacher.

It is a long drive between Pelham and Mahopac each day but I am sort of enjoying it. In the morning it helps me prepare for the day and in the evening it helps me unwind and reflect on the experiences of the day. The only difficult part is when there is bad weather like Sunday night and they say it is going to be another bad one tonight. Please pray that the storm takes a little longer to get here so I can get home before the worst part!

I would like to pause for a moment today and remember my parents. Today is their wedding anniversary. They were married 72 years ago. I am sure they are celebrating this day in heaven. I would just like to thank them for their love for because of it my sister, my brother and I got a chance to enter this world. I think I speak for the three of us, we are eternally grateful and we feel very blessed to be part of mom and dad’s love, to be a family. So Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad! Thanks for the gift of your love and for sharing it with us!

So in the midst of the cold, possible snow and or ice and the busyness of this day I once again offer a prayer of blessing for all of you. I ask God to bless your day and whatever you will be doing. May today truly be a day rich in the presence of God for you, your loved ones and for everyone you meet! Peace in Christ's Passion...Fr. Paul