Daily Thoughts: I read a short
quote from Pope Francis this morning just after I return from mass, “Sing to
the Lord a new song. (Psalm 95:1) What is this new song? It does not consist of
words, it is not a melody, it is the song of your life, it is allowing our life
to be identified with that of Jesus, it is sharing his sentiments, his thoughts,
his actions. And the life of Jesus is a life for others. It is a life of
service.”
I read this after hearing the Gospel
(Mark 2:18-22) in which Jesus says, “no one pours new wine into old wine skins…. Rather,
new wine is poured into fresh wineskins.” So if we are singing a new song it
cannot be the same old life that sings. It has got to be a new life, a new way
of looking at the world. It has got to be a new way of looking at ourselves and
others.
Often we are afraid of new, afraid of
change, afraid of different yet both Jesus and Pope Francis and Dr. Martin
Luther King, Jr. tell us not to be afraid, but to pour, to sing and to dream
new.
Happy Martin Luther King, Jr. Day –
Happy Monday – and Happy New Wine, New Song and New Dream – Everyone!
Daily Prayer: Loving God, you
call us today to sing a new song, to be new skins for the grace of your new
wine, to be your people of a new dream of freedom, of justice, of equality for
all. Help us today to look beyond the fears, the obstacles, and the sinfulness
that often prevents us from sing, holding and dreaming the newness of your life
and love. Give us the hopefulness of new dreams, the faith of a new song and
the love which we can carry in a new life to others. Amen!
Runner’s Thoughts: “Never
underestimate the power of dreams and the influence of the human spirit. We are
all the same in this notion: The potential for greatness lives within each of
us.” (Wilma Rudolph)
Daily Blessing: Happy Monday,
Happy Martin Luther King Day and greetings everyone from sunny and warm San
Antonio! I hope this find you well and into your Monday morning without too
much difficulty. I had an uneventful trip here on Saturday and a nice relaxing
Sunday. Today I will do my final preparation for the retreat which will start
this evening after dinner. The Oblates have a beautiful Renewal Center here is
San Antonio. I am a bit jealous because I wish the Passionist had built our
retreat centers this way many of them might still be open especially my beloved
Riverdale! But this is focusing on the old or perhaps I should say the past and
we are called to the new, the present in the Gospel today.
So with that in mind I pray that God
blesses us all today with the grace to be new wines skins that hold the new
song of God for the world. May we share that new song with everyone we meet
today in our own gifted way. May we smile, may we laugh, may we share our
wisdom, may we dream, may we believe, may we hope and may we always love!
Blessing upon everyone today and I ask your prayers for the 35+ Oblates who
will be making the retreat this week and for their preacher! Peace in Christ’s
Passion…Fr. Paul
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