Daily Thoughts - 04/09/2016

Daily Thoughts: Most of us seem to respond -- however imperfectly -- to the great events of our lives.  Special moments in our life like the birth of a child or the death of a loved one change the way we ordinarily live.  Went something special happens we stop to appreciate, to evaluate, to react. We buy gifts, we pray, we spread the word, we come together. Our emotions match the moment: gladness, grief, and everything in between.

This is what makes the text of the Acts of the Apostles so full of life.  Like you and I, the people of Jerusalem and beyond are responding to a great moment of their lives.  There is confusion, celebration and concern.  Something big has happened, and people are on the move.

The Church nourishes our Easter reality these days with readings of women and men excited with the Risen Lord’s spirit.  The Easter event has not gone unnoticed.  A trial.  A crucifixion.  A resurrection?  Quite the combination!  Our scene from Acts today shows more and more people affected and, subsequently, more and more people responding.  And though the process isn't always easy, from our vantage point as readers of today's Scripture we see a great Christian movement at work.

The Gospel provides an important insight to accompany the activity of Acts.  It's not a post-Easter Gospel, but it speaks to a post-Easter reality.  The disciples, frightened, face the uncertainty of darkness.  Winds swirl and waves rise as this group looks to proceed without the physical presence of Jesus.  And yet, in the end, and in a way mysterious indeed, Jesus is with this group.  "Do not be afraid."  In the end his advice is rather simple yet bold.

It is advice we can heed today in our own post-Easter reality.  Yes, something big has happened, and we need to respond -- each in your own way.  As scary as it can be, let’s not be intimidated by confusion and uncertainty.  It is important to respond.  It may seem at time like Jesus is not with us, but he is!

Have a great Saturday everyone.

Daily Prayer: Loving God, open our eyes that we may see you in our sisters and brothers. Lord, open our ears that we may hear the cries of the hungry, the cold, the frightened and the oppressed. Lord, open our hearts that we may love each other as you love us. Renew in us your spirit. Free us and make us one. Amen (Adapted from a prayer by Blessed Teresa of Calcutta)

A Runner’s Thoughts: “I used to always say, if the marathon is a part-time interest, you will only get part-time results.” (Bill Rodgers) So to in the spiritual life…if God is a part-time interest then you will only get part-time results!

Daily Blessings: Saturday greetings and blessings to all. I hope your Saturday has started off well. I got a weather alert on my phone this morning calling for rain but right now the sun is out and it looks like a beautiful day but I guess it will not be last too long. So I will enjoy the gift of the today sun as long as I can and not worry about what might be coming.

In a few hours I will head south to Mount Holly, New Jersey and the Parish of the Sacred Heart where I will begin a mission this evening. Please pray for the faith community at Sacred Heart and their preacher this week. I will be preaching all the masses this weekend and then celebrating the mission from Monday thru Wednesday in the morning at 8:30 am and in the evening at 7 pm. If you are in the Mount Holly area come and join us!

I pray that your life and day will be enliven with the blessings of God’s presence in the people you meet, in the places you go and in the things you do. May you come to know God today through the living of life and may your living of life today be graced with much joy!

Have a great Saturday everyone - enjoy the gift of this day! Peace in Christ's Passion and Joy in the Risen Lord...Fr. Paul

Daily Thoughts - 04/08/2016

Daily Thoughts: Our first reading from the Acts of the Apostles offers us a nice reflection for our journey through Easter and life. The Pharisee Gamaliel seems to be a man of wisdom as he reflects on the challenge that the Sanhedrin seem to be confronted with – are the Apostle for real? His solution is one that should be applied every time we encounter this type of challenge. Only time give us the answer whether something is of God or not.

It is not easy to sit and wait. It is not easy to consider that someone or something might truly be of God especially when it challenges what we believe or how we are living.  Put yourself in the shoes of the Scribes and Pharisees, in the shoes of the religious leadership of Jesus’ time. They had studied, believe and learned to live by certain rules, regulations and beliefs and now the Apostles and disciples of Jesus were challenging the vary way of life they believed in. Change is not easy!

But Gamaliel says wait and see if it is of God it will last, if it is not it will fail. This is wise advice for living our life in faith. It is not always easy or possible to follow but it is wisdom to be considered as we navigate through the struggles and challenges of life.

In our Gospel today we hear the story of Jesus feeding the 5,000. Jesus takes the five barley loaves and two fish and provides as much bread and fish as people need to nourish themselves. This reading reminds me of the wonderful gifts that God gives us as we journey through life. Perhaps the lesson to learn from our Gospel today is that we should never under estimate the value of the gifts that God provides to us. No matter how simple or insignificant we think they might be anything is possible with God. Are we willing to let go and let God work through what we have?

As we journey through this Easter season, let us reflect on the people and experience we encounter and not judge too quickly. Let’s give them time because we never know when someone or something might just be about God.  And let’s not sell short the gifts that we have because if we are willing to place them in Jesus’ hands great things can happen and many can be fed!

Have a blessed and holy Friday everyone!

Daily Prayer: Compassionate God; take away from our hearts all suspiciousness, indignation, anger and contention and whatever is determined to hurt kindness and lesson love. O God, have mercy, on all who seek your mercy. Give grace to all in need of your grace today. Help us to live this day in your love so that we may be found worthy to enjoy the fulfillment of your grace and attain your gift of eternal life. Amen. (Adapted from a prayer by Thomas À Kempis)

A Runner’s Thoughts: “Fear of trying causes paralysis. Trying causes only trembling and sweating.” (Mason Cooley) and “Let him [or her] that would move the world first move himself [or herself}.” (Socrates)

Daily Blessing: Friday greetings and blessings to all! I hope this finds you enjoying your Friday or at least making your way through it in a life giving way. I am in the midst of getting things done so that I can head back out on the road tomorrow as I will head to Mount Holly, NJ and Sacred Heart Parish where I will celebrate a mission beginning tomorrow. I would ask your prayers for the faith community at Sacred Heart and for their preacher.

If you remember I asked you to pray for a man named Mike and his family yesterday. Well, I received news last night that Mike passed away. So once again please pray that Mike now rests in God’s eternal hand and please hold his wife and four children in your prayers these next days that they might find the mercy, peace and love of God as they grieve the loss of a husband and father.

I pray for all of you today that you will once again be touch by the joy of this Easter Season. May you be gifted today with many life giving experiences, with many encounters of God through the people you meet, with safe travels if you are traveling and with much joy and peace as you journey through this day! God's blessings to all today! Peace in Christ's Passion and Joy in the Risen Lord...Fr. Paul

Daily Thoughts - 04/07/2016

Daily Thoughts: In our Gospel today, John, the disciple whom Jesus loved, the Evangelist, testifies to Jesus.  He calls us to believe in person of Jesus, in the complete person, of Jesus the Christ or, as he refers to him in today’s Gospel, the Son.

The entire Gospel of John focuses on this act of faith, for in John’s Gospel Jesus offers very little in the way of specific moral teachings or insights. He indicates that we must cling to Jesus and entrust ourselves to the love that God has revealed by sending his Son to be one of us.  John’s Gospel calls us to an letting go of self. It calls us to a trust that places us in the Father's heart and hands right along with Jesus even if it leads us to death to this world. 

This letting go of self is not a matter of earthly wisdom: "The one who is of the earth is earthly, and he speaks on an earthly plane."  The one who comes from above calls us to something beyond earthly values and reasoning. The one from above calls us to trust in love that leaves the merely reasonable far behind.  It is a wisdom that calls us to allow the Spirit to fill us and to generously share the riches we have from the Father through the Son and his Spirit.

Have a great Thursday everyone!

Daily Prayer: Loving God, give us the grace to be strong, prudent, just and wise in all things today. Give us an exact faith, generous love, and unshakeable trust in you. Fill us with the spirit of intelligence and wisdom. Let us always be considerate of others. O perfect and eternal light, enlighten us this day. Amen! (Adapted from a prayer by Alcuin of York)

A Runner’s Thoughts: Ask yourself, “Can I give more?” The answer is usually, “Yes.” (Paul Tergat) So to in the spiritual life…

Daily Blessing: Thursday greetings and blessings to all! I hope your Thursday is starting off well. It looks to be a rainy day here in Pelham but they say the temperature will be a little milder than previous days. Perhaps you are lucky enough to have the sun out where you are?

I would like to ask that you to take a little time in prayer today for a family I was asked to pray for yesterday. The father and husband has a very rare blood disorder and has been receiving experimental treatments but those treatments are no longer working and now he faces the end of his life. He will leave behind a wife and four children. The children range in age from ninth grade to a senior in college. Please keep Mike and his family in your prayers that his transition will be without pain and as full of grace as is possible. And that his family will be graced and comforted during this time of letting go and loss.

My prayer of blessing today is that you will have a blessed day rich in the grace of the Easter Season. May the Risen Christ touch your life with the joy of God’s mercy and love. May you be touch by the newness of life as you encounter others, as you journey through your day and as you share the gift of who you are with the world. Peace in Christ's Passion and Joy in the Risen Lord...Fr. Paul

Daily Thoughts - 04/06/2016

Daily Thoughts: In the readings today we find the simple message - God saves us!  However, it is only those who believe will be saved.  Perhaps more importantly if we want to be saved we need to acknowledge the need for God’s presence in our life in order to gain the gift of deliverance.

In the first reading from Acts, the Apostles are imprisoned, and the angel of God comes and releases them and sends them to the temple area to continue preaching. They are released from their imprisonment because God is with them.

In the Responsorial Psalm we hear the echoes of God’s response to those in need - Lord hears the cry of the poor.  All who believe in God and call out to God will be aided in their time of struggle.  God does not abandon his people.  But there needs to be a request – God needs to hear the cry of the poor.  God’s responds may not always come as quickly or as directly as it did for the Apostles in jail but down through our faith story God has always responded to the cry of those in need.

In the Gospel we encounter Jesus as the ultimate delivery of God’s response to those in need.  God so loved us that he gave us his only begotten son. Out of this profound love God made the ultimate sacrifice for all of us.  Only through Jesus can we truly understand God’s love and be welcomed into the Kingdom.  Whether God instantly saves us, as he did the apostles from the prison, or whether it is through the Cross of Christ, God love for us ultimately will save us.  It is through belief in Jesus that we have salvation but we must be open to God’s love and not be afraid to ask for God’s help!

Have a great Wednesday everyone!

Daily Prayer: Loving God, be with us today and give us strength because often we are weak. You are our life and without you we are without passion. You are our light and without you we cannot see what is before us. Be with us this day, Loving God, for we desire your love and always want to be in your company. Stand by us, Lord Jesus, so that as we face the dangers and struggles of this day we will not be alone because we know that you are always with us and will never leave us to face the struggles of life alone! Amen!

A Runner’s Thoughts: “To go the distance and keep going after that, the only sustainable place to start is from a place of gratitude and love.” (Kristin Armstrong)

Daily Blessing: Wednesday greetings and blessing to all! I hope your day has started off well. In a couple of hours, I will head to our provincial office in Rye Brook, New York where I will have a morning meeting with the provincial and council. No, I am not in trouble, at least I don’t think I am. It will be just a little conversation about a future project that I have been asked to undertake. More about this in the months to come, stay tuned!

We are to have a mostly sunny day here in Pelham but it is to be windy and cold. Winter seems to be hanging on or it has decided that it came a little late and wants to give us our monies worth. Hopefully it will not be too long before we can back to seasonal weather.

I would ask your special prayers for one of my Passionist brothers, Fr. Rick Frechette, C.P. who was in a serious accident yesterday. If you don’t know of Fr. Rick, he is a doctor and lives, works and ministers in Haiti and has done so for many years. He was in a motorcycle accident yesterday and was airlifted to a hospital in Miami. His injuries are serious but at this time not considered life threatening. He is expected to recover well but I would ask your prayers for him and our mission in Haiti.

My prayer of blessing today is that God’s blessings will be upon you were ever you are, upon whatever you are doing and upon whomever you meet. May all of you be gifted with a blessed, holy and faith filled day rich in the presence and grace of God! May you enjoy your day wherever you are. Peace in Christ’s Passion and Hope in the Risen Christ…Fr. Paul

Daily Thoughts - 04/05/2016

Daily Thoughts: “There was no needy person among them…” What a wonderful thought to begin the day with from our first reading today from the Acts of the Apostles. The reading paints a hope filled picture of life in the early Church. “The community of believers was of one heart and mind, and no one would claim any of his possessions was his own, but they had everything in common.”

However, I fear that if someone would speak this way today or paint a picture of a faith community like that today the political pundits and the 24 hour news programs would immediately label that person and community socialist as they have tried to do with Pope Francis as he talks about our responsibility as Christian to care for all in need. We somehow have it in our mind that everyone has to make it themselves. Sure if there is a disaster people can be helped but we first have to learn to stand on our own two feet. It is not socialist to care for all it is Christian!

I truly believe that the spirit and presence of Pope Francis is a wonderful model of the early Christian community that we encounter today in the Acts of the Apostles.  He connects us to the spirit of the early Church when the desire was to care for all.  Pope Francis’ genuineness is that he doesn’t care what others think he is only concerned with those in need. He doesn’t care what it cost; he has hope in the presence of God and the community to make it work. He is not looking for riches and power, his reward is the community and each person in it. Pope Francis is a wonderful witness of unselfishness.

Perhaps in the spirit of today first reading our challenge is to make our present day Christian communities places where we are open to the grace of God and its transforming power so that we become communities who care and take care about all amongst us!

Have a blessed Tuesday everyone!

Daily Prayer:

Spirit of Christ, bless me.

Body of Christ, save me.

Blood of Christ, enliven me.

Water from the side of Christ, wash me.

Passion of Christ, strengthen me.

O good Jesus, hear me.

Within your wounds, hide me.

Never let me be separated from you.

From the evil foe, defend me.

At the hour of death, call me; and welcome into your Kingdom.

That with your saints I may praise you forever and ever. Amen.

(Adapted from the prayer Anima Christi)

A Runner’s Thoughts: “When we run, we are already so exposed, often nearly naked in our shorts and T-shirts, huffing and puffing, purified by the effort. Briefly removed from the defenses and secrets we maintain in so much of our lives, we feel less need to hide our private thoughts, loves, fears, and stresses. We share.” (Amby Burfoot) – What a beautiful thought for a way to live life!

Daily Blessing: Tuesday greetings and blessings to all! I hope your Tuesday has started off well. We had our fill of rain here in Pelham yesterday. It rained the entire day and there was a real chill in the air, a damp chill. I think today we are to see the sun but the temperatures will remain cold. Apparently it is going to take a while before we get back to milder temperatures.

My prayer of blessing today is that God will bless us all with the energy, the spirit and the enthusiasm to continue with hope this journey of Easter and life. That God will bless us with a joy for life, for others and for ourselves. And that whatever we do, wherever we go, whomever we meet will be touched by the joy and mercy that we bring! Have a great Tuesday everyone and may your day be blessed with the warmth of the sun but if you find a few drops of rain coming down when you walk out the door may it be soft gentle rain that lovingly softens the earth and you! Peace in Christ’s Passion and the Risen Lord...Fr. Paul