Daily Thoughts: I think
sometimes we struggle because God doesn’t seem present in ways we would like.
We cannot take God fishing like Peter and the other disciples did. We cannot
invite God is for a meal like Zacchaeus did. We cannot stop in the midst of our
daily work and have a conversation about life like the woman at the well did.
We cannot argue a frustration like Martha did. We cannot ask a question and get
an immediate answer like the disciples often did. We cannot feel that loving
embrace like Mary and others surely did.
We have to live by faith and hope not
personal contact. Our time is a time of trusting in God’s presence and having
faith that God is at work in us helping us make the right choices, helping us
live a good life.
We might say that Pope Francis has
challenged us to take up the “yoke” that Jesus mentions in the Gospel today
(Matthew 11:28-30). It is the “yoke” and “burden” of the people around us who
do not have the necessities of life, who are hungry, cold, homeless and
suffering.
Yes, seeing these people, encountering
them, perhaps even being one them is a burden and a yoke that is heavy,
difficult to carry and a problem which often seems impossible to solve. Yet,
Jesus says pick it up, carry it, but not alone. Like Jesus, Pope Francis knows
that if we do this we will learn from Jesus and we will come to know that the
impossible can become of the possible.
Perhaps our challenge today is to be
“humble of heart” and trust in God’s strength to help us help the world. Have a
great day everyone!
Have a blessed day everyone!
Daily Prayer: Loving God, we
are grateful for this wonderful enterprise you have invited us to, this journey
called life. Grace us with your gift of hope so that we might never lose faith
in your loving presence which is always ready to lead us down the right road.
Help us to trust that you will never leave us alone or let us grow weary but
give us the strength of eagles’ wings so that we can live our life to its
fullest. Amen!
A Runner’s Thoughts: In the first
reading (Isaiah 40: 25-31) from today’s mass Isaiah writes, “They will run and
not grow weary….” As I read these words this morning I could not help but think
about running. I don’t know any runner, except maybe the elite runners who when
starting out on a training run or a race does hope that they will run and not
grow weary. It is the vision of every runner to run strong and to finish.
It is the hope of every person of faith
to live life to the fullest, to remain strong and faithful and to finish. St.
Paul tells us to run life focused on the finish line. We need to always look
ahead not behind. Pope Francis, Time Magazine’s Person of the Year, has us
looking ahead and has challenged us not to grow weary in our service as a
Church to the poor, the homeless and the hungry.
Running is a wonderful metaphor for
life. When we run we are reminded of the challenges of life but also the gifts
of life. As Isaiah says, “They that hope in the Lord, will renew their
strength, they will soar as with eagles’ wings; they will run and not grow
weary, walk and not grow faint.” Running is about having hope, faith is about
having hope and in each case hope leads us at time to making the impossible –
possible!
Daily Blessing: Happy Wednesday
everyone! No I didn’t use “Happy Hump Day” because at this time of the year the
weeks seem much longer than seven days. It often feels like one big week from
Thanksgiving to Christmas. We always just busy, busy, busy – never stopping! So
just Happy Wednesday in the midst of our journey to Christmas!
I didn’t post yesterday because we were
in Manhattan to tape for the Sunday Mass all day. As always it was a long day
of taping, six masses in all. It was also our last taping at St. Malachy’s. In
the New Year we will be moving to St. Francis de Sale’s Parish in Manhattan.
St. Francis de Sales is on the Upper East Side on 96th Street
between Park and Lexington Avenues. I have not seen the church yet but I will
get my chance later this month when I celebrate a Sunday evening mass with the
faith community there.
Change is not always pleasant and I will
miss St. Malachy’s but there are a lot of advantages to moving the Sunday Mass
to St. Francis de Sales and I look forward to our new site! I will get a chance
to return to St. Malachy’s this month as I will be celebrating a coupe Saturday
evening masses and one Sunday evening mass. It is a wonderful place to
celebrate and I look forward to my opportunities.
I hope you day has started off well. I
hope those being affected by the weather these last few days are getting back
to normal, whatever normal is! It is raining again here is Pelham and the air
is a damp cold. Oh, how I long for spring and warmer weather. However that is a
long way off and winter is our life at the moment.
I pray that you are not too busy these
days and there are moments to relax and just enjoy the gift of Advent, the gift
of family, the gift of friends or even the gift of solitude! May God bless you
today and always – in the words of Isaiah – with the strength to run and not
grow weary, walk and not grow faint and that you may soar through this day on
eagles’ wings as people of faith who hope in God with strength renewed! Peace
in Christ’s Passion…Fr. Paul
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