Daily Thoughts - 08/29/2015

Daily Thoughts: Today we celebrate The Passion of St. John the Baptism and our Gospel (Mark 6:17-29) is the famous story of Herod and John the Baptist. It is a rather gruesome story, it is hard sometimes to think of a young girl being presented with some one's head and then turning and giving it to her mother. Yet, I guess gruesome things happen in life every day, thankfully not in my life.

I am always struck in this story with the fact that Herod is moved by John, that he likes to listen to him, yet he gives in to the worldly pressure around him. I get the feeling Herod knows that John is right, but his power, his self-importance; his ego will not let him say yes. Herod has surrounded himself with people who push him in the wrong direction. We might say that he gives in to the peer pressure of his time!

Perhaps if Herod had heard St. Paul’s words to the Thessalonians that we find in our first reading today (1 Thessalonians 4:911) he might have acted a bit different. St. Paul reminds the Thessalonians to care one another, to work hard and to live tranquil lives. In other words St. Paul reminds them to put the focus on God not on themselves.

There is a great line in the Letter to the Hebrews that I reflect on often, "Do not neglect hospitality, for through it some have unknowingly entertained angels." It is great advice! Perhaps it is advice that Herod should have heard or heeded. He certainly had one of God's angels, John the Baptist in his presence.

We need to be aware that God can come to us, be present to us in many ways. We need to trust that God is with us always. We need to remember that we are a community of faith not just individuals and we need to always be aware of the struggles and joys of others because they can often bring God into our midst.

Today we are reminded – “Blessed are those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.” May St. John the Baptist help us to see – God as our light and our salvation, and thus never fear!

Have a great Saturday everyone!

Daily Prayer: O God, help us to always love and reverence your presence in ourselves and others. Keep us always trusting of your presence and love and help us to be hospitable to all we encounter especially the angels you send into our life! Set out life today on a firm foundation of your love so we may live with the hope and trust that you will never forsake or abandon us because you are with us always! Amen!

 

A Runner's Thoughts: Let's make our run today a God centered run. Let us honor the voice of God in nature, experiencing all the sounds and sights of nature as we run. We can let our breath join in the chorus and we look purposefully for all the signs of God in nature because if we do this we surely will not be running alone!

Daily Blessing: Saturday greetings and blessings to everyone! I hope your day has started off well and that you are able in some way to enjoy the beauty of God’s creation today. It is a beautiful sunny morning here in Pelham I hope the same is true by you.

My prayer today is that God’s blessings will rest upon all of you wherever you are, wherever you go and in whatever you will encounter today. I pray your day will be a safe one full of many wonderful encounters. May you have a faith filled day graced with joy, peace and love. May you find the richness of God’s presence in your life today and always. Also I pray that God’s blessings will help you to have a restful and enjoyable weekend. Have a great Saturday everyone! Peace in Christ's Passion...Fr. Paul

Daily Thoughts - 08/28/2015

Daily Thoughts: “God is always trying to give good things to us, but our hands are too full to receive them.” (St. Augustine of Hippo) I was thinking about these words from St. Augustine in terms of our Gospel today (Matthew 25: 1-13). Yes, I know that Jesus is focused on the end time, whether it is his final coming or the day that God calls each of us individually. Yes, we need to be awake and we need to be ready like the five wise virgins because not being ready, not being awake has dreadful consequences, (see wailing and grinding of teeth from yesterday).

However I believe Jesus words “stay awake!” and his story of the ten virgins can be looked at another way. Jesus might not be just talking about the end time or the day God calls each of us home, he might also be talking about this moment and what we are missing if we are not awake or ready. What graces? What joys? What blessings? What experiences of God’s presence are we missing if we are not awake, if we are not ready?

It is not always about the negative, about the end time, about wailing and grinding of teeth. It is also about the opportunities we miss each day, each moment of our life because God is trying to give us good things but our hands are too full or we are trying to cut corners!

May the spirit of St. Augustine be with you today. Have a great Friday!

Daily Prayer: O God, to know you is life. To serve You is freedom. To praise you is the soul's joy and delight. Guard us with the power of Your grace here and in all places. Now and at all times, forever. Amen. (Adapted from a prayer by St. Augustine)

A Runner’s Thoughts: “The act of running is simple, one foot in front of the other. The art of becoming a runner is achieved through a new mindset and commitment to change, especially if it’s new to you. It’s tough, challenging, painful, sometimes lonely, regularly uncomfortable and often excruciating…but the rewards are second to none.” (Terry Lander) And so too in the spiritual life…

Daily Blessings: Friday greetings and blessings to all! It is a beautiful morning here in Pelham the humidity seems low, there is a sunny blue sky, a gentle breeze what more could I ask for. I hope your day has started off as beautiful and mine.

I would like to send a shout out to the School Sisters of Notre Dame in the African Province. Today is the 4^th Anniversary of the beginning of their province and they will install the first native African sister as provincial. It is a special day for all School Sisters of Notre Dame but especially those in African. It is an alive and growing province and I would just like to say happy anniversary, many blessings upon the new provincial and all the sisters today and into the future. May the spirit of St. Augustine energize and enliven the ministry, the work and the lives of all who call themselves School Sisters of Notre Dame and who serve the people of Africa!

My prayer of blessing for all you today is that our Loving God, the giver of all good gifts, will bless you today with hearts that love you, so that by deepening your sense of respect and reverence for yourself you may nurture within yourselves and others only what is good. May God bless you with a watchful care throughout this day so that wherever you go and whatever you do it will be in, and through and with God. May God bring you home safe to those you love that you might celebrate the gift of family, of friendship, of community, of your love so that your sleep will be restful and you will be energized to welcome tomorrow! May God bless you with the spirit of St/ Augustine as you journey through this day! Peace in Christ’s Passion…Fr. Paul

Daily Thoughts - 08/27/2015

Daily Thoughts: Jesus in our Gospel today says “Stay awake! For you do not know which day the Lord will come.” And who better to teach us the art of being ready, being prepared but mothers. They are our first and most significant teachers and today we honor a very famous mother St. Monica the mother of St. Augustine so today I have decided to focus on the gift of mothers!

As I said today is the feast of St. Monica, the mother of St. Augustine and Monica is a saint because she was a mother, a mother who cared, a mother who didn’t give up, a mother who didn’t forget. She spent her life praying for her family, asking God to change their hearts, to wake them up, so that they might find the presence of God in their lives.

Mothers are unique people. From the very beginning of life they give of themselves totally. They give of themselves physically by creating our first home in this world, the womb. They give of themselves physically by offering us our first nourishment, both inside the womb and outside once we enter the world, so that we can begin to grow into the person God has created us to be. Mother’s give of themselves emotionally caring, nurturing protecting and guiding us as encounter the world around us. And finally mothers give spiritually, holding us always in their prayers, storming heaven, being present to God so that we make out way safely through life.

St. Monica is a wonderful model of motherhood. She never gave up on her family, especially her son. I am sure she had some days of struggle. I am sure she question God at times. I am sure she carried the extra burden that all mothers do, but she never gave up.

In our world we sometimes hear stories of mothers who give up however from my perspective they are few far between given the untold stories of mothers who never give up. On this feast of St. Monica we have the opportunity to offer a prayer of thanks for our own mothers and all mothers. We have to opportunity to offer a prayer for all mothers especially new mothers, young mother, mothers in the midst of raising a family that they will always have the strength to give when no one else seems to give and that they will continue to never give up on us!

And in the spirit of the Gospel – Let us be faithful and prudent servants by giving thanks and offering a prayer for mothers today! Have a great Thursday everyone!

Daily Prayer:

Loving God, we pray today through the intercession of St. Monica for all mothers,

grant them the grace to appreciate the dignity, grace and blessing which you have given them as mothers. Help them to realize that not even the Angels have been blessed with the privilege to share in your creative miracle of bringing new life into the world. Bless all mothers today and help them to be good, faithful, caring, nurturing and strong after the example of Mary, the Mother of your Son. Through the grace of Jesus’ love and the intercession Mary and Monica we ask your continued blessings upon all families. Let mothers and fathers be dedicated to your service on earth and attain the eternal happiness of your kingdom in heaven. Amen!

A Runner’s Thoughts: “I run because long after my footprints fade away, maybe I will have inspired a few to reject the easy path, hit the trails, put one foot in front of the other, and come to the same conclusion I did: I run because it always takes me where I want to go.” (Dean Karnazes) And so to in the spiritual life…

Daily Blessings: Thursday greetings and blessings to all! I hope your day has started off well and that you have been gifted at least by nature with a beautiful day!

In the spirit of St. Monica whom we honor today a shout out to all mothers that the gift of St. Monica’s spirit will be with you throughout your journey as mothers. And a prayer of thanks to all mothers, both living a deceased for their strength, courage, faithfulness and love!

I pray for God’s blessings upon all of you today that your day will be filled with many positives and that the negatives will only be fleeting moments. May the richness of God’s grace and blessings be upon all you, upon everyone you meet and upon everyone you love! May there be many words, signs and people of encouragement in your life today! Peace in Christ’s Passion…Fr. Paul

Daily Thoughts - 08/26/2015

Daily Thoughts: Jesus continues his reflections on people who only seem to care about the non-essentials rather than the essentials. He reminds us that only taking care of the outside can have disastrous effects on the true meaning and purpose of life.

Perhaps Thomas Merton reminds us of the same thing but rather than using “Woeful” statements he asks us to focus on God’s creative act that the psalmist voice proclaims to us in today responsorial psalm (Psalm 139). “To say that I am made in the image of God is to say that love is the reason for my existence, for God is love. Love is my true identity. Selflessness is my true self. Love is my true character. Love is my name.” (Thomas Merton)

It is not just that outside that is created by God it is the whole person. We are made in the image and likeness of God and this act of love is the very reason for our existence. “And for this reason we [need to] give thanks to God unceasingly” (1Thes 2:13), by the way we live our life. So let us live our life today valuing those we encounter and ourselves.

Have a great Wednesday everyone!

Daily Prayer: Grant us, O God, a mind to know you, a heart to seek you, the wisdom to find you, behavior pleasing to you, faithful diligence in waiting for you, and the hope of finally embracing you. Amen. (Adapted from a prayer by St. Thomas Aquinas)

A Runner’s Thoughts: “I'm afraid the reason so many new runners quit is because they never get past the point of feeling like they have to run.” (John Bingham) So to in the spiritual life – people of faith give up on religion, faith and Church because they never get past living their relationship with God out of obligation rather than out of love.

Daily Blessing: Happy Hump Day and Wednesday greetings and blessings to all! I hope your day has started off well and that you have been gifted at least by nature with a beautiful day!

I am home here in Pelham for a few days. There are a few things I have to get caught up on and I am off to the dentist later this morning. I am hoping to get the boiler looked which will be the last task related to our water disaster a few weeks ago. So hopefully the next few days will be quiet and peaceful late summer days here in Pelham.

I pray for God’s blessings upon all of you today that your day will be filled with many positives and that the negatives will only be fleeting moments. May the richness of God’s grace and blessings be upon all you, upon everyone you meet and upon everyone you love! May there be many words, signs and people of encouragement in your life today! Peace in Christ’s Passion…Fr. Paul

Daily Thoughts - 08/25/2015

Daily Thoughts: We find ourselves today in the midst of the “Woe to you…” challenges of Jesus. He challenges the scribes, Pharisees and us on where our priorities lie. Are we concerned with the non-essentials of life or do we have our words and action aligned with God’s priorities? Our lives can look good and by all appearances we seem to be holy people, however inside is always what counts. Where are our hearts? Who or what is the center of our life?

These “Woe to you…” statements of Jesus are strong challenges that are not easy to live out. Often we find ourselves comfortable in our nice, neat little worlds. We say all the right things. The outward expression of our faith seems to be spot on however if we look under the hood there is no life, no spirit, the tank is empty. We have allowed the non-essentials to become more important than the essentials – love of God, others and ourselves.

As we live this day let us strive to live authentically according to the values we profess. Yes, we are human, we have our faults and failings and our weaknesses. But today, let us, with God’s grace, strive to live life faithful to the Gospel. Let us look at our lives today and find those things that at times make us hypocrites and ask forgiveness so that we can grow in the essential of life, so that we can grow in the presence of God!

 Have a great Tuesday everyone!

Daily Prayer: Loving God, be present today in our world, our culture, our society, our families and in us. Be present within us as a peaceful yet powerful sovereign. Enliven us with the splendor of faith and the love of your tender heart. Guide the actions of our lives so that they will always be good works that offer your present especially to those in need. Impart within us your gentle Spirit so that we all always be alive with the energy of your joy filled presence. Amen!

A Runner’s Thoughts: “The reason we race isn't so much to beat each other,... but to be with each other.” (Christopher McDougall) And the reason we are Church is so that we don’t make the journey alone but we make it together as a community of faith!

Daily Blessing: Tuesday greetings and blessing to everyone! I hope your day has started off well and that you have the energy and enthusiasm to deal with whatever this day brings to your life!

It is another beautiful morning here in Long Beach, in a few moments I will head over to the church for the 8 am mass. Then I will be headed home to Pelham for a few days before return here next Sunday. May your Tuesday be a day rich in the gift of sun and good memories and may you enjoy a beautiful summer’s day wherever you are.

My prayer for all of you today is that God’s blessings will be upon all of you as you go through your day. May God bless all your endeavors, may God be with you in all of your challenges and in all of your struggles. May God bless you with the grace to trust in the presence of God that you carry within you and the courage not to be afraid to share your gift. Peace in Christ’s Passion…Fr. Paul