Daily
Thoughts:
I have always been a bit jealous of the scribe in today's Gospel because Jesus
says at the end of the exchange that the scribe is not far from the Kingdom of
God. For me it would be a comfort to know that I was not far from the Kingdom.
It is one of my greatest worries. I try to live a good and faithful life but
there are times when I look around and wonder if I have missed the boat! I
listen to people talk about their faith, I see their actions, I am aware of
what they think is important and valuable in terms of faith, church, belief and
religion and I wonder if I have taken the wrong path.
Sometimes
I wonder if what I believe brings me close to the Kingdom? The Church as it
stands today seems a far cry from the Church that Jesus seems to be putting
together as we read the Gospel. Our religious leaders often, not always, seem
to be closer to the scribes and Pharisees than to the disciples of Jesus. The
institution we call Church often seems closer to the institution that Jesus
often challenged and confronted during his ministry.
We seem
to take some words in the scriptures at face value but others are glossed over
and interpreted in ways other than what they say. We seem to be absolutely sure
of what Jesus said, meant or wanted in certain situations and yet we discount
or ignore other things because they don't seem to fit into the institution.
I pray. I
try to love whomever I meet. I truly value my relationship with God. I care
about people no matter who they are and what they have done. I try to find God
in all people. I value life in all forms. I want to be of help to people who
struggle. I want to be a welcoming, forgiving person, religious and priest. I
want to help people know and believe in God. Yet at times I am not sure whether
I am on the right path. I don't always pray in traditional ways. I am more
willing to accept a person where they are even if they don't fit into the laws
of the institution. I want to dialog. I want to find a way for all to be close
to the Kingdom. I don't want to judge. I don't want to be self-righteous and I
certainly don't have all the answers.
I want to
live Hosea's words today, I want to return to the Lord, but I am not always
sure the institution takes me in that direction. I live to be a man of faith, I
live to be a man of hope and I live to be a man of love. I pray that like the
scribe I am a man close to the Kingdom of God!
Have a
blessed Friday everyone!
Daily
Prayer: O
God of all good gifts, fill our hearts with your loving presence. Grace us with
the wisdom to recognize the way to your Kingdom. Enliven us with your word,
your spirit that we may walk the path you have set before us. Give us the
understanding to live your commandments of love with joy. Help us to get beyond
ourselves and value the gift of others. May we always be a people who seek your
Kingdom by living in the hope of your mercy, joy and love. Amen!
A
Runner's Thoughts: Remember running can give us spiritual focus. When we run
we have the time to be a person of prayer. It can be a prayer of few or many
words. It can be one prayer or many prayers. It can be a simple breath that
brings God into our being and it can be the exhaustion of giving all to God as
we finish our run.
Daily
Blessing:
Friday greetings and blessings to all. I hope you have had a good week. I am in
the midst of getting caught up on mail, emails and paperwork that have crossed
my desk in the last week. There are always things to do. I always seem to be
looking ahead preparing for missions, retreats and other commitments down the
road. It is hard to stay in the moment.
Today
will be headed to Mount St. Michael’s High School in the Bronx for a 7:30 am
mass and then it will be on to the Wartburg Home for an 11 am mass. The rest of
the day will be spent preparing for my next mission.
Tomorrow
I head out to Lindenhurst, New York on Long Island to Our Lady of Perpetual
Help Parish. Yes, I said Our Lady of Perpetual Help. Two weeks in a row I will
be celebrating mission under the direction of Mary’s title of Our Lady of Perpetual
Help. Do you think the Good Lord might be trying to tell me something?
My
blessing prayer today is that God will bless all of you with a peaceful end to
this work week and the joy of entering a weekend with family, friends and many
good experiences. Be well and safe my friends, have a great day and the
beginning of a wonderful weekend wherever you are and whatever you are doing.
Please remember me and the people who will have to put up with me in the coming
week’s mission in your prayers! God’s blessings upon all today and always!
Peace in Christ's Passion...Fr. Paul
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