Daily
Thoughts:
Peter’s words in today’s Gospel, – “Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful
man” – always seem to catch my attention. Every time I encounter God, I would
like to be Isaiah and say, “Here I am, send me,” however my humanness always
seems to get in the way. Why would God want to call me, to send me? Yet what
our readings tell us today is that God does and is calling us.
In our
first reading and in the Gospel we encounter God calling people for the work of
the Kingdom. Isaiah’s call is one of majesty and splendor. He is caught up in a
theophany, an encounter God on the heavenly throne. While in the Gospel Simon
and the others encounter God at the workplace. They are simply going about
their business of catching fish when Jesus once again walks into their lives.
In other
words, our readings today remind us that God can call us anywhere, at any time.
In fact, God is always calling us. Yes, God know we are sinful women and men
yet that is exactly who he wants to proclaim the Good News. Few of us, if any,
will encounter God the way Isaiah did. All of will encounter God the way Simon
and the others did in everyday life. Each day God calls us to something new
which can be scary but also life giving. Sometimes the call is to take a chance
and grow beyond realm of our abilities and other times it is to simply be who
we are to the best of our ability.
Like St.
Paul in this First Letter to the Corinthians we all have a story to tell. We
all make mistakes. We all have our faults and failings. We are all sinful
people. Yet, God calls each one of us gifting us with his mercy and sending us
forth in our own unique way to walk by faith and proclaim the Good News. We
might not have a burning ember placed in our mouth. We might not be knock off
our horse. We might not catch more fish then we can handle. But God will and
does call us. The question is - are we ready to say, “Here I am send me!”
Have a
great Sunday everyone.
Daily
Prayer:
O God, be in our moments of rest today and give us what we need so that as this
day takes its course and we encounter moments of stress, strain. struggle and
effort we might also find your peace. And when evening comes and we look back
over this day and we see how fragmentary everything seems to be, and how our
plans have not fully been accomplished and like Peter, we feel embarrassed and
ashamed. Help us to take everything exactly as it is, putting everything in
your hands and leaving our life with you. Then in your peace may we find rest,
real rest in you and rise refreshed to begin our next day of new life in you.
Ready for the deep water and whatever abundant catches you send our way! Amen!
A Runner's
Thoughts:
Remember, yes, running can be an escape from the stresses, the struggles, the
problems, the fears of life but it can also be a time when God reaches out to
us in a unique way and leads us into the deep water.
Daily
Blessing:
Sunday greetings and blessings to all. I hope this finds you well and having a
good Sunday. I know for many of you today is a daylong party focused on this
Super Bowl. If you have a team in today’s game may this be an exciting day for
you and all you will gather with and may your team win. If neither team really
excites you well enjoy the party and the people with whom you will watching the
game. If like me, you hope to avoid the game altogether and would just like to enjoy
what this Sunday brings may you be blessed with peace and quiet and or good
friends who are not into the game like you.
I began a
mission last night at St. Anthony of Padua Parish in East Northport, New York.
We got off to a good start and I will continue to invite the people to the
mission today five masses as my day’s work. I am not sure too many people will
be at the last mass though, it is at 7 pm this evening! I ask your prayers of
the faith community at St. Anthony’s over these next few days and if you could
also say a prayer for their preacher it would be greatly appreciated.
My prayer
for all today is – this is the Lord’s Day let us rejoice and be glad. May there
always be work for us to do. May our
pockets and purses always hold a coin or two. May the sun always shine warm on
our windowpanes. May a rainbow be certain to follow each rain. May the hand of
family, a loved one and a friend always be near and may God fill our hearts
with gladness and love that we in turn can share! May God’s blessing be upon us
all today and always.
May you enjoy
this day, may your team win but most importantly may you find the gift of life
and peace in all you do today! Peace in Christ's Passion...Fr. Paul
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