Daily Thoughts - 08/16/2016

Daily Thoughts: In today’s Gospel the disciples listen to Jesus and then wonder, “Who can be saved?” Jesus says, “For [humankind] this is impossible, but for God all things are possible.” Peter still worried about himself and asks, “If I follow you, what's in it for me?” Perhaps, the answer is not what’s in it for me but what can I do to help to make things possible? I/we can have a sense of gratitude for all God has graced us with. I/we can let go of our own need to control and live with gratitude and gratefulness toward God because it just might make all the difference.

Thomas Merton says it better than me… “To be grateful is to recognize the Love of God in everything He has given us - and He has given us everything. Every breath we draw is a gift of His love, every moment of existence is a grace, for it brings with it immense graces from Him. Gratitude therefore takes nothing for granted, is never unresponsive, is constantly awakening to new wonder and to praise of the goodness of God. For the grateful person knows that God is good, not by hearsay but by experience. And that is what makes all the difference.”

Have a great Tuesday everyone!

Daily Prayer:

Loving God, we come before you in grateful prayer today. We are grateful for this moment of life. We are grateful for each breath we take. We are grateful for our life. And so we thank you for our challenges for they help us to grow. We thank you for our many gifts for they help us to smile. We thank you for our many circles of support for they hold our hand. We thank you for our body for it is our vehicle of living. We thank you for our heart for it reminds us to love. We thank you for our mind for its abundance. We thank you for our friendship with you for it inspires us. Loving God, we thank you and we are grateful for life and the opportunity to live it with you! Amen.

A Runner’s Thoughts: “There is something magical about running; after a certain distance, it transcends the body. Then a bit further, it transcends the mind. A bit further yet, and what you have before you, laid bare, is the soul.” (Kristin Armstrong) And when you get to the soul you will find God!

Daily Blessing: Tuesday greeting and blessing to all. I hope your day has started off well. It is going to be another hot and humid day here in Long Beach. Yes, even by the ocean it is rather uncomfortable these days. These are truly the dog days of August though I am not really sure what that means. May it be a bit cooler wherever you are.

My prayer of blessing for us today is a simple litany asking God to help us along the way – Loving God, we pray for your blessing today in the midst of our busy life. If we find ourselves struggling with the heat of summer reminds us of the cold days of winter. If we are under the weather touch us with your healing presence. If we are busy guide us to a moment of peace. If we are frustrated grace us with an acknowledgement of the gift that you are. If we find ourselves angry today help us to let it go. If we find ourselves alone embrace us so that we know that are not. O God, bless us with what we need to live our life this day!

May we live with a sense of gratitude today so that we will be blessed with good day and graced with God’s love in all our endeavors.  Peace in Christ’s Passion…Fr. Paul