Daily Thoughts: “If you want to
identify me, ask me not where I live, or what I like to eat, or how I comb my
hair, but ask me what I am living for, in detail, ask me what I think is
keeping me from living fully for the thing I want to live for.” (Thomas Merton)
In today’s Gospel (Luke 8:1-3) w are
reminded of the importance of women in Jesus’ ministry. They were their
supporting, taking care of, helping Jesus with their resources, their gifts,
their talents, their faithfulness and their faith.
In my Living with Christ today the
reflection was very interesting in terms of today’s Gospel here is Kevin
Perrotta’s reflection – “What is it about Mary of Magdala that cause so many
misconceptions to sprout up around her? Some mark her as a great sinner; others
suggest she had a romantic relationship with Jesus. Hacking our way out of this
underbrush of speculation, we do know Mary had some wealth, since she supported
Jesus and the male disciples. No husband is mentioned; was she widowed? Perhaps
she ran her own fish business – a trade that flourished in Magdala. Rather than
a repentant floozy, Mary may well have been a solid family and business woman –
like many of the women in church on Sunday. Seeing her [this] way makes her a
model for many of us today!”
Kevin certainly makes us stop and think
about Mary Magdalene. Yes our Gospel says seven demons came out of her, but who
hasn’t fought with seven or more demons in life? In paraphrasing Thomas Merton –
When trying to identify Mary Magdalene let’s not ask where she lived, or what
she liked to eat or how many demons came out of her but let’s ask how she
lived, what she lived for and what got in the way from time to time? If we ask
these questions Mary becomes a woman of strength and great faith just like the
others who followed Jesus and attended to his needs in daily life.
Let’s hear it for women today and every day!
Friday blessings everyone!
Daily Prayer: Loving God help
us to be grateful today. Help us to recognize your love in everything you have
given us, because we know, we believe that you have has given us everything.
Every breath we draw is a gift of your love, every moment of existence is a
grace, because it brings with it immense graces from you.
Gracious God, in gratitude we must never
take anything for granted. We must never be unresponsive to your love. We must constantly be awakening to new wonder
and giving praise for your awesome goodness. We want to be grateful people
because we know that a grateful person knows that God is good, not by hearsay
but by experience. And this is what makes all the difference. Amen!
(Adapted from words by Thomas Merton)
A Runner’s Thoughts: “Finally, I
could see with startling clarity that the time I had spent experiencing pain on
a run was outweighed by the amount of time that I felt good about it. I was
aglow. I was invincible. I was thinking I might be able to do it again.”
(Alexandra Heminsley – Running Like a Girl)
Might we also say this about our faith,
our relationship with God? Yes, we do experience pain, struggle, doubt and
difficulty but they call can be outweighed by the grace, the blessings and the
joy we encounter with God. In the glow of God we become aglow, we become
invincible, we want to continue the journey. So if you are a runner think of
your runs as those times when we have a chance to get some clarity in our
relationship with God. When we have some time to pray, when we have a chance
even in the exhaustion of the end of a run to feel aglow in the presence of
God, to feel invincible and to continue our journey of faith!
Run strong…run with God!
Daily Blessing: TGIF everyone! I
hope your Friday has started off well and that today will be a somewhat easy
day for you. If not and you have many challenges and/or struggles ahead before
the day is done hang in there and know of my prayers for you. Remember it is
only a day there is a lifetime ahead!
For all of you I offer a prayer of
blessing as your journey through this day. May whatever kind of roads you take
today be smooth and not crowded for your journeys, may the wind be gentle and
always helping you along, may the sun shine warm upon your face helping you to
smile, and if it rains may it fall gentle as you journey and, until the sun
rises again tomorrow, may God hold you and all you whom you love in the palm of
His hand so nothing will harm you. Amen! Peace in Christ’s Passion…Fr. Paul
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