Daily
Thoughts:
“A skilled listener can help people tap into their own wisdom.” (Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM) We might apply
this thought to our Gospel reading today. The focus in Matthew 13: 10-17 seems to be on the difference between hearing and
listening.
We all
hear unless we have some physical impediment to hearing but often we fail to
listen. I believe that is what Jesus is getting at in the Gospel. People hear
his parables but they don’t listen to them. They don’t take them to prayer.
They don’t reflect on them and thus they miss the point of them. We can always
hear things as Isaiah is quoted in the Gospel but unless we listen we will not
understand.
Jesus is
teaching his disciples to listen. Jesus is teaching us to listen. I very much
enjoy using the parables of Jesus when I preach because if we really listen to
them that have a lot to tell us. Often, if not always, when I use a parable in
my preaching I learn something new because while preaching I am also listening.
Jesus was
certainly a skilled listener, the most skilled listener and that is why he
helps us tap into the wisdom that God graces us with each day, all we have to
do is listen!
Have a
great Thursday everyone!
Daily
Prayer:
Loving
God, we pray:
We hold a
treasure - Not made of gold - In earthen vessels, wealth untold
One
treasure only, the Lord, the Christ - In earthen vessels.
Light has
shown in our darkness - God has shown in our hearts
With the
light of the glory - Of Jesus the Lord.
We hold a
treasure - Not made of gold - In earthen vessels, wealth untold
One
treasure only, the Lord, the Christ - In earthen vessels.
He has
chosen the lowly - Who are small in this world
In his
weakness His Glory -In Jesus the Lord
We hold a
treasure - Not made of gold - In earthen vessels, wealth untold
One
treasure only, the Lord, the Christ - In earthen vessels.
Loving
God help us to believe and live these words today and always! Amen! (Words from Earthen Vessels by John Foley,
S.J.)
A
Runner’s Thoughts: As prayerful runners let us not run with a sense of
expectation that something significant will happen spiritually. Let us run only
asking that our run be in the presence of God and that we will run with a
heightened awareness of God’s presence. If we run this way occasionally
insights will come our way and we might feel a special closeness to God, but
usually we will simply know that we are not running alone and we will carry
with us the sense of a shared journey long after we have finished our run! (Adapted from Running the Spiritual Path by
Roger Joslin)
Daily
Blessing: Thursday
blessings and greetings to all. I hope your day has started off well and that
it will be blessed in a special way as you journey through it. If you are
finding life a struggle today, please know as always you are in my prayers and
I will say a special prayer that it gets at least a little better as the day
goes on.
It looks
to be another beautiful day here in Pelham though they say the humidity is
coming back today along with more heat. Then again it is summer! I hope you are
enjoying good weather wherever you are.
Have a
great day blessed with the presence of God. May God bless you in a special way
today with a strong faith to believe in the treasure that you carry within you
and that you are! Peace in Christ’s Passion…Fr. Paul
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