Daily Thoughts: This last day
of the year we are treated to the mysticism of St. John. The profoundly
familiar opening of his Gospel, "In the beginning was the Word..." It
is not an opening story like in Matthew, Mark and Luke, it is a mystical
reflection on God, creation and Jesus' entrance into the world. It is a
reminder of where we have come from and the profound love of God we journey
towards.
In the first reading John in his letter
speak to a community, a church, under persecution, struggling with the reality
of life in a world made up of many different realities. Things appear to be coming to an end, but
John reminds the community about what they know, what they have been taught,
and about the relationship with God that they have entered into, so that no
matter what happens they will remain faithful.
These readings speak to our realities
this last day of the year. Things are coming to an end, perhaps not in the way
John envisioned them but a calendar year is coming to an end. Over the past
year we have seen many struggles, many signs that point to loss, tragedy, the
absence of God and a hopelessness. However, John reminds us, as he did his own
community, about what we know because we are friends of God. John reminds us of
a new beginning, of by whom we have been created and the hope that needs to
remain alive in our hearts.
We can encounter "fiscal
cliffs," tragic losses, challenges to our faith, natural disasters but we
know the love of God, we know that the Light shines in the darkness of life, we
know that that world often does not know God, but we do and we will live in the
Light and bring it to the world today and always.
Some things to ponder as we prepare to
welcome a New Year…
“For last year's words belong to last
year's language. And next year's words await another voice.” (T.S. Eliot)
“Keeping a journal has taught me that
there is not so much new in your life as you sometimes think. When you re-read
your journal you find out that your latest discovery is something you already
found out five years ago. Still, it is true that one penetrates deeper and
deeper into the same ideas and the same experiences.” (Thomas Merton)
“The object of a New Year is not that we
should have a new year. It is that we should have a new soul and a new nose;
new feet, a new backbone, new ears, and new eyes. Unless a particular man made
New Year resolutions, he would make no resolutions. Unless a man starts afresh
about things, he will certainly do nothing effective.” (G.K. Chesterton)
“Faith is why I'm here today and faith
is why I made it through.” (Jonathan Anthony Burkett)
“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)
“Being a Christian is less about
cautiously avoiding sin than about courageously and actively doing God's will.”
(Dietrich Bonhoeffer)
“Do not forget that the value and
interest of life is not so much to do conspicuous things...as to do ordinary
things with the perception of their enormous value.” (Fr. Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, SJ)
“As long as we continue to live as if we
are what we do, what we have, and what other people think about us, we will
remain filled with judgments, opinions, evaluations, and condemnations. We will
remain addicted to putting people and things in their "right"
place.” (Fr. Henri J.M. Nouwen)
“Faith is not for overcoming obstacles;
it is for experiencing them—all the way through!” (Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM)
Whoever you are, you are human. Wherever
you are, you live in the world, which is just waiting for you to notice the
holiness in it.” (Barbara Brown Taylor)
According to the Talmud, every blade of
grass has its own angel bending over it, whispering, “Grow, grow.” (Barbara Brown Taylor)
If the only prayer you said was thank
you, that would be enough.” (Meister
Eckhart)
Have a great December 31st everyone and
a Happy 2015!
Daily Prayer: I thought
Thomas Merton’s prayer would be a good end of the year prayer for all of us
today –
My Lord God, I have no idea where I am
going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it
will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think that I am
following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe
that the desire to please you does in fact please you. And I hope I have that
desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from
that desire. And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road
though I may know nothing about it. Therefore will I trust you always though I
may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for you are ever
with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone. (Thomas Merton -
Thoughts in Solitude)
Runner’s Thoughts: Run with the
wind today into a New Year blessed by God!
Daily Blessing: Greetings
family and friends, on this last day of 2014. I begin this day thankful for the
year that has passed but happy and excited to bring in a New Year. I pray all
of you are where you need and want to be and that you will get a chance to
celebrate with family and/or friends tonight. If you need to travel please
travel safe. If you are going to be out and about at, around or after midnight,
please be safe!
I offer a simple blessing on this last
day of 2014 - O Loving God, hear our
prayers today as we pray in thanksgiving for the year that has just past and with
hope for the year we are about to begin. Bless us with the grace if wisdom that
we have gathered over this last year and help us during the coming year to
soften the hearts of all so that we may always know your friendship. Grant
peace and prosperity to your people bless each of today and always with your
love. Amen! May all of us encounter peace, hope and many new dreams in 2015.
See you next year! Peace in Christ’s Passion...Fr. Paul
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