Daily
Thoughts:
I have always been struck by John the Baptist’s words in the last line in
today's Gospel, "He must increase; I must decrease." What a
meditation on faith! When you think about it are not John’s words our challenge
each day and perhaps our hardest challenge?
The world
around us tells us every day to increase. Increase what we have, what we want,
what we desire, what we need, who we are! Our economy is built on increasing,
increase spending so we can increase building, producing, creating and thus
increase profits. When we finally leave home all we want to do is increase
because the world tells us we are defined by what we have, what we have
achieved, what we own, what we have accumulated. As is often quoted, "The
one with the most toys wins!"
Yet, what
John is telling us in the Gospel today is that for us to be people of faith, we
must decrease so that Jesus, so that God, can increase in our lives. It is not
about being the greatest, the best, the biggest, the most powerful, or the most
important. It is about God. John had it all. He was liked, he was loved, he was
important, he was powerful, and he had all the attention. However, for him, all
of this was not as important as his relationship with God. He knew what he was
about. He knew his mission and it was time for God to be the most important
focus and all John could do was rejoice!
Sometimes
we think God is not present, God is always present, at home, at school, at
work, in the government, everywhere. The problem is not where is God – but that
we have made ourselves too big so we and others cannot see God!
Can we
let go of the world, let go of what the world says is important and let God?
Can we recognize our mission, our ministry, our relationship and let God be the
focus? Can we decrease and let God increase in our life and in the world? Tough
questions for tough times, but if we are willing the end result is great joy!
Have a
great Saturday everyone!
Daily
Prayer:
O God, nothing is more practical than find You, that is, than falling in love
with You, in an absolute, final way. What we are in love with, what seizes our
imagination, will affect everything. It will decide what will get us out of bed
in the morning, what we do with our evenings, how we spend our weekends, what
we read, who we know, what breaks our heart, and what amazes us with joy and
gratitude. O God, helps us to fall in love with You and stay in love, and it
will decide everything today and always. Amen (Adapted from a prayer by Fr.
Pedro Arrupe, SJ)
A
Runner's Thoughts: “Being a runner means you are now free to win and lose and
live life to its fullest.” (Bill Rodgers) Run today recognizing the motion of
life and flow with it, let go of all your preconceptions of God, be open to the
vast, unlimited opportunities to connect with God in new and evolving ways as
you run.
Daily
Blessing:
Saturday greetings and blessings to all! I hope your day has started off well.
It is a mild but cloudy day here in Pelham. It looks a lot like rain though I
think it might hold off until tomorrow. I hope it is a nice day weather wise
wherever you are.
The
retreat finished up rather nicely yesterday. Thank you for all your prayers for
the men on retreat. They have a long journey to priesthood ahead of them and it
will not be easy.
Before I
forget I would like to send a shout out to my friend, classmate and fellow
Passionist, Fr. Chris Cleary, C.P. on his birthday. Happy Birthday, Chris and
many blessings today and always and yes you can use as many puns as you want
today!
May God
bless all of us this day with the gift of his presence, his hope, his joy and
his love. May God bless up with the grace to trust in his presence so that like
St. John the Baptist that we might come to realize that we to must decease and
let God increase in our lives today and always.
Enjoy
your Saturday everyone, have a great day with many blessings, a little rest and
much peace! Peace in Christ's Passion...Fr. Paul
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