Daily Thoughts - 03/12/2016

Daily Thoughts: In our scriptures today (Jeremiah 11: 18-20 and John 7: 40-53) we are reminded that Jesus really never had a chance with the religious leadership of his time, prophets, like Jeremiah, never fared well no matter where they came from but the thought that Jesus came from Galilee sealed the deal. The religious leadership had made their judgment and nothing was going to change it, not even one of their own, Nicodemus calling for justice.

Jesus throughout his ministry cautioned about making judgments. He healed, taught, forgave, showed compassion and asked us to love even our enemies. His parables always reflected ways to live and not to live. They always reflected a relationship with God so that people could understand the presence of God in their lives. He showed compassion to all and forgave sinners. All of this was too much for the religious leadership of his time. Jesus' way did not fit into their view of the world, their way of living in the world. They were prejudice in the case of place, they didn't like Galilee but at other times their prejudice took on different forms. The prejudices that we allow to make a home in us can often be the very thoughts and actions that judge us!

Jesus and Jeremiah became the trusting lambs led to the slaughter. They never had a chance because their message was of God not the world. Their actions, their teachings, their lives give us examples of how to trust and hope in God's love. They help us to look at life through the eyes of faith not the eyes of prejudice.

As we enter this day let us be aware of how we often judge people without listening to their story, without knowing who they really are. Let us trust in the presence of God that every person can bring to us. Let us be people of justice, truth, compassion and love. Let us be open to finding God's presence, God's goodness everywhere.

Have a blessed Saturday everyone!

Daily Prayer: Compassionate God, make us channels of your faith, hope, love and peace. Grace us with hearts open to your loving presence in all that we meet. Help us with your wisdom so that we might let go of our judgments, our prejudices, and our condemnations. May we be people with generous hearts always rich in a harvest of compassion, mercy and love. Amen!

A Runners' Thoughts: Remember if we have the desire to run with God, then the specifics of the techniques used do not matter very much just keep hold of the desire and God will be with you!

Daily Blessing: Saturday greetings and blessings to all. I hope your Saturday morning has started off well. As the sun begins to rise here in Pelham it looks like it is going to be another nice day though I do see some clouds in the sky. These mild temperatures are a blessing. They make for easier navigation through the day. I hope the weather by you is also energy producing today.

I will head out later today for St. Joseph’s Parish in Garden City, New York. I will begin my mission by preaching all the masses Saturday and Sunday and then celebrate the mission from Monday to Wednesday. The mission service will be after the 9:00 am mass and at 7:30 pm Monday through Wednesday. Please keep the faith community at St. Joseph’s and their preacher in your prayers this week!

My prayer of blessing today is that God will bless us all with the energy, the spirit and the enthusiasm to continue this journey of Lent and this journey of life. That God will bless us with a joy for life, for other people and for ourselves. And that whatever we do, wherever we go, whoever we meet will be touched by the joy and mercy of God that we bring! Have a great Saturday everyone. I hope you will get some time to rest and relax. I also hope you will be spending time with people you love. Remember your clock get turn ahead one hour tonight before you go to bed, it is time to spring forward and don’t forget to give God a little time this weekend! Peace...Fr. Paul

Daily Thoughts - 03/11/2016

Daily Thoughts: There seems to be much more tension between Jesus and the people in John's Gospel today (John 7:1-2, 10, 25-30). Certainly in these waning days of Lent as we read John's Gospel we are made aware of the struggle most likely between Jesus and the religious leadership.

The leadership seems to be drawing upon tradition and Jesus seems to focuses on the moment, the work that needs to be done. The leadership seems to be living out the words that we hear in the reading from the Book Wisdom (Wisdom 2:1a, 12-22) today about the wicked ones. They don't like what Jesus is saying. His words are challenging and demanding in a way that is difficult for people who have settled into a routine of life. Who have found a comfort zone that they do not want disturbed.

Are not we all like these religious leaders at times. We find a comfort zone, a routine to life and then we become angry when someone or something comes along and disturbs us, challenges us. It is particularly difficult when we somehow know that the person, the challenge, is righteous but we just do not want to change. We want to stay in our comfort zone and so we begin to find things wrong with the person, the place or the situation. If we can convince ourselves that we are right and they are wrong, then all will be well.

The religious leaders try to do that today in the Gospel, the wicked ones try to do that in the Book of Wisdom and certainly from time to time we try to do it in our own lives. We cannot change the religious leaders of Jesus' time; we cannot change the wicked ones from the Book of Wisdom. These examples are history and told to us today so that we might not repeat their actions. Yes, our challenge is always to recognize God in our midst even if it means letting go of our comfort zone, even if it means changing our perspective, even if it means finding the truth in another.

We pray today Lord Jesus, be close to us because we do not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from your mouth! We live on the gift of your presence and the hope that it brings to life.

Have a great Friday everyone!

Daily Payer: St. Augustine tells us that understanding is the reward given by faith so we should not try to understand in order to believe, but we should believe in order to understand. So we pray to you our loving God for the grace that will help us to always believe. Enliven us when we are weak with the strength to believe in your healing way and so that we may always live a holy way of life. Grant us the wisdom to recognize your presence in our lives that comes from within us and others. Be always near to us that when necessary we may take comfort in your love! Amen!

A Runner's Thoughts: Remember the little miracles of God that we encounter during a run are not because we finish but are because we find the courage to begin!

Daily Blessing: Friday greetings and blessings to all. In a few moments I will be heading into Manhattan as today is the March taping day for the Sunday Mass. We will be taping all day. So I have to be a bit brief with my daily blessing if I want to get it out to you. I hope your Friday is starting off well. It is supposed to be a sunny day today after a little early morning rain with temperatures not quite as warm as yesterday but still a rather nice day for March. Hopefully the weather and the journey with this day will be good for you too!

I am headed out again tomorrow for a mission at St. Joseph’s Parish in Garden City, New York.  I will be preaching all the masses Saturday and Sunday and then the mission will be Monday through Wednesday in the morning and in the evening.

I hope everyone has had a good week. If not, I hope you will have an easy Friday that will lead you into a relaxing and restful weekend. We are entering the 13 days of Lent which will bring us to the wonderful days of the Triduum and Easter. I will truly be praying for all of you during these days in a special way.

My prayer of blessing today is a simple one that all of us have a graced filled Friday, one that leads us into a weekend of rest and peace. May we all be blessed with richness of what matters to God and touched with the presence of God in all we do today and in whomever we meet! Have a peaceful Friday. Peace in Christ's Passion...Fr. Paul

Daily Thoughts - 03/10/2016

Daily Thoughts: The readings (Exodus 32:7-14 and John 5:31-47) seem to have a common theme: the inclination for us to trade what God offers us for something of less value and splendor. At times I have heard the term “laudable exchange” used in reference to giving up the things of earth for the things of heaven. Our scriptures warn us that often we do just the opposite.

In the Exodus reading today the people get focused on a molten calf as a god they think will help them. They have bought into the world, the culture, around them. No matter what God has done for them they think a calf statue can do better. They have given up on the living God and replaced him with a god they made with their own hands. These are the very people who have seen wondrous things from God, these are the very people who were freed by their journey through the Red Sea at the hand of God. Yet, somehow they miss the fact that God loves them and cares for them. They seem to think that God is distant and they wanted something that they can see and touch. Like we often do, they made a god to suit their specifications, to do what they think needs to be done. The outcome of all this stupidity is that they truly anger God.

The psalm for today’s mass (Psalm 106:19-20, 21-22, 23) points out their folly. “They exchanged their glory for the image of a grass-eating bullock.” They exchanged the glory of God for the glory for a human made calf. We are reminded that the only glory that we humans will ever have is the glory that comes from God, the glory that essentially is God. We have been created in the image and likeness of this merciful God and what a disrespect of God when we exchange our love of God for some creation of our own hands.

The Gospel today is a very dense section of John and it is difficult to do it justice with my little reflection. The religious leaders reject Jesus and exchange his testimony, his life, for that of others. For a time, they like John the Baptist but grow tired of him. If others come tooting their own horns, they listen to them. They are able to accept anybody and everybody but Jesus. They love Moses, or so they say. A question one might ask would be if they were alive at the time of Moses would they have followed Moses or been right in there with everyone else helping to make a god out of pieces of gold?

There is truth in the term “laudable exchange” to give up the things of this earth and embrace God. During Lent we do certain things in the hope that doing without will keep us focused on God. We sometimes do positive things or spend a little extra time in prayer with the same hope. These are wonderful practices, however, we must constantly remind ourselves that what we do doing Lent should help us to focus on God. If we remain focused on these things, then how am I any different than the people in the days of Moses who exchanged a thing for God?

Let us be focused today on God, let us lift our eyes to and see the things that are of God today!

Have a great Thursday everyone!

Daily Prayer: Compassionate God, at times our hearts get out of focus. When this happens everything becomes an effort, life is difficult and we struggle to be faithful. In these moments remind me of Your Son’s words “For human beings it is impossible, but not for God. All things are possible for God” Do not let us be afraid and thus give in to life’s troubles and create our own molten calf. Rather help us, stay close to you, by reaching out to others, doing something creative with passion, and always living the fullness of life. Enliven us always in Your Holy Spirit of hope, so that we may live life with Passion together. And may the Passion of Jesus Christ be always in our hearts! Amen.

A Runner’s Thoughts: “You have to wonder at times what you're doing out there. Over the years, I've given myself a thousand reasons to keep running, but it always comes back to where it started. It comes down to self-satisfaction and a sense of achievement.” (Steve Prefontaine)

Daily Blessing: Thursday greetings and blessings to all. It looks like the beginning of a beautiful sunny day however I think there is rain in the forecast. At least it is warm. When I arrived home last night around 10:45 pm it was 67 degrees. I hope the day and the weather have started off well for you too!

We had a very spirited closing to the mission last night. The mission seemed to go very well. I would ask you to say one last prayer for the faith community at Our Lady of Perpetual Help as many people asked me to remember them or someone they love in my prayers.

My prayer of blessing today is that all of us remain focused on our faith, on our relationship with and on all the wonderful things God has done for us. May we never give in to hopelessness and look elsewhere to a god the world creates. Many blessing to all today, success in your endeavors, safety in your travels and many experiences of God’s presence throughout the day! Peace in Christ’s Passion…Fr. Paul