Daily Thoughts - 06/26/2015

Daily Thoughts: At times when I hear or read certain Gospel stories I think wouldn’t it be great if Jesus could do that today! In today’s story (Matt 8:1-4) Jesus encounters a leper. Leprosy in Jesus’ time made people outcasts. They were disconnected from the community. They had to keep their distance. They were relegated to living in community with only other lepers. They were not to touch or be touched by others. They were seen as unclean.

However the leper in the Gospel story has the courage to approach Jesus and for that courage he is rewarded with a healing. He is made clean so that he can live once again within the community. Jesus heals by touching, by crossing the boundary of culture, society and religion. Jesus deals with the person as a human being created in the image and likeness of God.

I guess my point is that in our day there are many people who probably feel like the lepers of Jesus’ time. People who are looked upon as unclean, who are looked upon as not part of the community. People who are looked upon by culture, society and especially religion as misfits, who are often are excluded. Wouldn’t it be great if Jesus were here today and like that day long ago as he came down from the mountain he would stop and talk with them, touch them, perhaps embracement and make them feel like a person again accepted, loved not feared.

Making someone clean has many connotations some positive, some negative. Making someone clean presumes that they are unclean. Was the leper of Jesus’ day really unclean? Are people in our time really unclean? Asking Jesus to make those that culture, society and religion often see as unclean, clean, might not mean curing them of some disease or condition, it might simply mean clearing the way, stepping across the boundary and changing the attitudes that will allow them to feel accepted, to feel they belong.

“Lord if you wish, you can make us clean.” Stretch out your hand today and will it!

Have a great day everyone!

Daily Prayer: Jesus, our benevolent friend, at every moment of our existence you are present to us. You are our loving Savior who is gentle and compassionate. Reach out your healing hand and touch us today. Help us to step beyond the boundaries of what divides and excludes like you. Help us to be present to one another so that our presence, like your presence, may be a strength that heals the wounds of time, and give hope to all people. We make this prayer through the grace of your compassion and love. Amen!  (Adapt from a Healing Prayer by the monks at Weston Priory)

A Runner’s Thoughts: Let us run in the present moment, not from something and not to something. Let us strive for a grace-filled run and well as a graceful run. Run today not for time but fore grace. Run with God! (Adapted from Roger Joslin – Running the Spiritual Path)

Daily Blessing: Friday greetings and blessings to everyone! I hope your week has gone well and that you are looking forward to a little rest and relaxation over the weekend. I am enjoying a nice relaxing day with my brother and his family just north of Chicago. We are headed to Lake Geneva in Wisconsin today for a little lunch and hopefully a nice boat ride around the lake. Tomorrow I head to Manitowoc, WI to begin a sister’s retreat on Sunday so I am glad to have this nice relaxing Friday.

Have a great Friday everyone! May it be blessed with family and friends, laughter, fun, joy, rest and relaxation. May you and those you love be safe everywhere you go and in everything you do.  Peace in Christ’s Passion…Fr. Paul

Daily Thoughts - 06/25/2015

Daily Thoughts: There was a poster I once saw that said, “If you were to be put on trial for being a Christian, would you be found guilty?” Perhaps that is what Jesus is getting at in the Gospel today (Matt 7:21-29). It is not about what we say; it is about how we live especially when there is a storm.

Mahatma Gandhi once said, “I like your Christ; I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.” If we are to be people of faith, we need to be Christ like.

As Jesus images in the Gospel, our faith needs to be built on God, our rock, so that when the storms come and the winds blow we stand firm. It does not mean that we don’t sway a little; that we are not pushed at times to our limits; or that the electricity doesn’t go off from time to time. What it does mean is that when the storm is over, the wind stop blowing and the sun comes out we are still standing and a member of the Body of Christ!

Have a great day everyone!

Daily Prayer:

Loving God, help us today;

 To live life as an opportunity and benefit from it;

 To live life as beauty and admire it;

 To live life as a dream and realize it;

 To see life as a challenge and meet it;

 To live life as duty and complete it;

 To see life as a game and play it;

 To live life as a promise and fulfill it;

 To live life as sorrow and overcome it;

 To live life as a song and sing it;

 To live life as a struggle and accept it;

 To live life as a tragedy and confront it;

 To live life as an adventure and dare it;

 To live life as luck and make it;

 To live life as too precious and not destroy it;

 To live life as life and embrace it to the fullest. Amen!

(Adapted from a quote by Blessed Mother Teresa)

A Runner’s Thoughts: In an ancient rabbinic saying it is said that when we human beings journey we are preceded by angels crying, “Make way! May way! Here comes the image of God!” So when we run next let us be the image of God!

Daily Blessing: Thursday greetings and blessings to everyone! I hope you are having a good day! I will be leaving Notre Dame in a little while and heading to the northern suburbs of Chicago. I will spend a couple of days with my brother and his family before heading to Manitowoc, WI where I will begin a retreat for sisters on Sunday.

It is a rainy day here at Notre Dame. My run this morning was a little difficult with the rain but it was also refreshing. I hope the sun is out where you are but if it is raining see it as God refreshing you and the earth!

I pray that God is blessing you with a wonderful day. May all your endeavors be rich in the presence, grace, love, joy and hope of God. May God bless you with a joyful, hopeful presence and may you share it with all you meet today! Peace in Christ’s Passion…Fr. Paul

Daily Thoughts - 06/24/2015

Daily Thoughts: Perhaps one of John the Baptist’s most profound sayings which can be found in John’s Gospel (John 3:30) goes like this, “He (Jesus) must increase and I must decrease.” Why is this so profound? Well because in it John shows us a humility not found very often.

Think of our world, when someone rises to power, fame, fortune the last thing they want to do is let go of control, step out of the spotlight, and turn things over to someone else. Yet, that is exactly what John the Baptist does. He is “the man” all eyes are focused on him, he has center stage and yet once Jesus enters John is willing to step out of the bright lights and let Jesus take over.

Today we celebrate the birth of John the Baptist. We remember his coming into the world and how he was dedicated from conception to be the forerunner, the announcer of Jesus’ presence in the world. From the very beginning John knows that at some point his presence will no longer be necessary, his mission will be completed and he will have to decrease.

Remembering John the Baptist reminds us of our challenge to live as prophets, as disciples of Jesus. Life is not about us and if we take on the journey of discipleship, of proclaiming the presence of God we too will all be called to decrease so that God can increase.

Yes, our feast today reminds us that like John the Baptist, we too are wonderfully made so let us praise God with the living of our life today so that like John we can be ready to proclaim God’s presence to whomever we encounter!

Have a great day and may you receive many blessings in the spirit of John the Baptist today and always!

Daily Prayer: O God, it is hard sometimes to believe that you are really present in this world of ours. But with the help of your grace we do believe it! So in the spirit of your faithful prophet, John the Baptist today, please help us to live our life in such a way that it will be easier for others to recognize you. When we find doubt, help us to bring a little light. Where we find discouragement, let us be a ray of hope in the darkness. To those who feel estranged and alienated from you and your Church, let us be like a bridge and when we encounter people who have been hurt or feel misunderstood, grace us with the wisdom to leave only the imprint of your healing love and compassion.  Loving God, wherever we go and to whomsoever we meet, help us to be an instrument of your compassion, love and peace. Amen. (Adapted from a prayer by Sr. Bernice Kuper, S.P.)

A Runner’s Thoughts:  Samuel Shoemaker once said, “Prayer may not change things for you, but it for sure changes you for things.” Let's make our next run a prayer and allow ourselves to be changed!

Daily Blessing: Greetings and blessings of this Feast of the Birth of John the Baptist and Happy Wednesday to all! I hope everyone’s day has started off well. I hope the sun is shining wherever you are and that you are moving about today with a lively step and a hopeful purpose. If not I pray that your day will get better!

I pray for God’s blessings today upon you, your work, your ministry, those whom you meet and those whom you love! May you enjoy the places you go to, the people you encounter and the experiences that you have and also know that as you journey through this day you are in my prayers!

Remember, “Seek God and you will find God and every good thing as well!” (Meister Eckhart) May you be rich in the spirit of John the Baptist today. Peace in Christ’s Passion…Fr. Paul

Daily Thoughts - 06/23/2015

Daily Thoughts: I think today’s Gospel (Matt 7:6, 12-14) is about reverence, and respect. Jesus seems to indicate that the road to reverence and respect is a narrow one that is a difficult journey but certainly one that is worth the struggle.

There are always people out in the world that find it easy to disrespect us. As Jesus seems to indicate the road of selfishness and “me first” is wide and has many travelers.

Perhaps the focus of today’s Gospel rests in these words by Thomas Merton:

“To be grateful is to recognize the Love of God in everything He has given us - and He has given us everything. Every breath we draw is a gift of His love, every moment of existence is a grace, for it brings with it immense graces from Him.

Gratitude therefore takes nothing for granted, is never unresponsive, is constantly awakening to new wonder and to praise of the goodness of God. For the grateful person knows that God is good, not by hearsay but by experience. And that is what makes all the difference.”

If we recognize the Love of God in ourselves and in others we will be on the right road!

Have a great day everyone!

Daily Prayer:

O God, we thank you for the gift of this day.

Give us the energy we need to face our work; with the attentiveness we need to do it well.

Give us the self-discipline we need to finish it even if no one sees and no one praises us.

Give us the self-respect which will inspire us not to produce anything which is less than our best.

Give us the courtesy and the considerateness which will make us easy to live and work with.

Help us to live today so that we will make the world a happier more hopeful place wherever we go. Amen! (Adapted from a prayer by William Barclay)

A Runner’s Thoughts: A smile as we run can help us remain focused, it often causes others to smile back which can be uplifting and perhaps most importantly it can remind us that that we have been graced by God. So as we run today let’s put a smile on our face!

Daily Blessing: Tuesday greetings and blessings to all! I also send greetings from the hallowed halls of the University of Notre Dame. Yes, I am here at Notre Dame attending a conference on preaching. Even though I did not go to Notre Dame there is something special about being here and having the chance to walk the ground and sort of soak in the history and tradition. This morning I went out for my run around the famed lake. I have to say it was a very pleasant run this morning!

The early morning was just beautiful with the sun coming up and there was a coolness to the air. That will be short lived and we are to have a hot muggy day here in South Bend today. I hope these early days of summer as going well for you though I think many of us have the hot and muggy days!

I pray that your day is starting off well and that you are energized and ready to give it your all. I hope that you will have a great day! May it be one filled with the presence of God so that you will encounter many blessings, much hope, a little peace, much laughter and a little shade! Peace in Christ’s Passion…Fr. Paul