Daily Thoughts - 06/14/2014

Daily Thoughts: “Let your ‘Yes’ mean ‘Yes’ and your ‘No’ mean ‘No.’” Words of wisdom from today’s Gospel (Matthew 5:33-37). Yet, they are also words that at times are hard to live out. I know at times in my life I tried to hedge my bet, not wanting to commit because something better might come along. Not wanting to be honest because it felt like it might hurt someone. Not wanting to be straight forward because I might look bad.

Yet to be honest, straight forward, committed is what we are asked to be as people of faith by Jesus today. We are asked to let go of what others, what the world thinks and be faithful to ourselves, to others and to God. It might not be the easiest way but it is God’s way.

Elisha learns this in our first reading today (1 Kings 19: 19-21). He is invited by Elijah to be God’s prophet but he comes up with all kinds of what seem to be good excuses to wait. All God wants is a ‘Yes’ or a ‘No.’ Elisha finally realizes that he must let go of his excuses and go all in. He realizes that he must trust God. Trust the new life ahead of him.

Jesus invites us to trust the new life.  He teaches us to simply be honest, to be women and men of integrity.  In Jesus, we come to know that trusting in God means letting go of the need to prove ourselves, whether by fancy oaths, cunning wordplay, or otherwise.  Instead, we allow God to be our guiding- light, always before us. 

So let’s go all in today and make a joyful noise with our life! Have a great Saturday afternoon and evening everyone!

Daily Prayer: God of all life, there are days when the burdens we carry weigh heavy on our shoulders and wear us down; when roads seem long, dreary and endless, the skies gray and threatening; when our lives have no music in them and our hearts are lonely, and our souls have lost courage. Bless us on these days with a path flooded with your light and hope, turn our eyes to where the skies are blue and full of promise, grace our feet with the energy that will bring us home, and life the burdens from our shoulders so that we may embrace life with joy and love! Amen! (Adapted from a prayer by St. Augustine of Hippo)

A Runner’s Thoughts: “Always make a total effort, even when the odds are against you.” (Arthur Ashe)

Daily Blessing: Saturday afternoon blessings to all! I hope your Saturday is off and running or walking or resting in a good way. It is a sunny and very pleasant day here in Pelham and I am enjoying the peace and quiet of an empty house.

I awoke to sad news this morning, Chuck Noll the Hall of Fame coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 1970s and 80s pass away last night at his home in Pittsburgh. Being a very small part of Steeler Nation and growing up during the 60s and 70s Mr. Noll because a symbol of a great era in Steeler history. He was not a loud, in your face, always on TV kind of coach. He did do commercials, he was a classy, quiet, faith filled man. I remember him for the great memories, for all that he did for Pittsburgh, for the Steelers and for everyone he met. Thanks, Mr. Noll, rest in peace with God!

My prayer of blessing today is that God will bless your Saturday with joy, energy, fun, rest, relaxation and peace. That if you need to be traveling today that God will bless you with safe travels that if you need to be working today God will bless you with the energy to work quickly and productively. May God bless you today with family, friends, smiles, laughter and love! Peace in Christ’s Passion…Fr. Paul

Daily Thoughts - 06/13/2014

Daily Thoughts: “I long to see your face, O Lord.” Perhaps our response today to the responsorial psalm says a lot about why we are here and our readings. Elijah on the run from his own people, discouraged, alone and wondering what is next, finds himself at the entrance of a cave waiting to encounter God. All the loud, grand and obvious experiences of God that we often long for just pass him by. It is in an unexpected tiny whispering sound that God asks the question, “Why are you here?”

A good question, why are we here? It is perhaps a question we might ask ourselves listening to the words of the Gospel (Matthew 5:27-32). Words that might discourage us as they suggest tearing out our eyes and cutting off our hands because they might cause us to sin. However perhaps they are words that simply ask us to be honest with ourselves, words that maybe ask us if we are caught up in the fear, hurt, anger, jealousy, loneliness and fatigue of life.

Perhaps in the long journey, the often struggling journey of life we get to a point when all we want to do is encounter God, to see God’s face. We hope for the grand entrance, the profound encounter and yet if we don’t pay attention we will miss the tiny whispering sound that can bring us face to face with God. If we give into the world around us, throw our hands up in hopelessness, it will seem like the only thing to do is let go of this life because it is too hard, too difficult. How can we not sin?

However, like Elijah, like those gather around Jesus to hear his words, we must always remember that in the times of struggle, difficulty and hopelessness, God is always there at times in the grand encounters of wind, fire and a quaking earth but most often in the tiny whispering sound of the experiences, people and world around us. God doesn’t want us to give up, to despair or maim ourselves. God wants us to look around, to be honest and know why we are here – to love serve and honor God through the joyful living of life.

Sometimes it takes a tiny whispering sound to get our attention. Sometimes it takes the stark reality of life to get our attention. However once we are focused God’s face will always be right in front of us and God’s presence will always be guiding our way!

Have a great Friday afternoon and evening everyone!

Daily Prayer: O God, give us insight into our friendships. Help us to see your gift of love, your presence in them. Help us to be faithful friends to others, loyal, generous and kind. Grant us the gift through our friendships to love and be loved. Bless our friends this day and always with the richness of life and the faithfulness of our love. Amen!

A Runner’s Thoughts: If we run as a spiritual runner let us remember that it is being a runner that matters, it is not how fast or how far we go. The joy, the gift is in running, in the journey and not always in the destination. We have the best chance of encountering our friend God, in the midst of our run when we remain focused in the present and don’t think too far ahead! (I adapted this from a quote by John Bingham, the author of No Need for Speed: A Beginner's Guide to the Joy of Running.)

Daily Blessing: TGIF everyone! I hope your Friday has started off well and it will be a short one that will take you into a relaxing and fun weekend. The rain and clouds are still hanging around us here in Pelham; however they say sun is on the way for Saturday and Sunday! I hope the skies will be brighter, the sun will be out and the weather will be warmer where ever you are today and throughout this weekend!

To all fathers out there I pray that you will have a great Father’s Day this Sunday. One that will remind you of the gift you have been to so many in your life. May it be a day of rest, relaxation, fun and the encounter of a tiny whispering sound called love! May it also be a time of family and friends rich with smiles, laughter, good food and many blessings.

My prayer today is that all will encounter the wonderful tiny whispering sound of God’s presence in your life today. That all of you like Elijah will be renewed in your journey, your mission in life and that in being honest with yourself you will overcome fear, hurt, anger, loneliness, jealousy and fatigue to be the person of joy, hope and love that God has created you to be! Enjoy the rest of your Friday and know you will all be in my prayers today and always. May your Friday afternoon be safe and may your evening be blessed with rest and peace! Peace in Christ’s Passion…Fr. Paul

Daily Thoughts - 06/12/2014

Daily Thoughts: I ran across this reflection a little while back and it stayed with me. As I read the readings for mass today it came back to me and I have adapted it to the challenge of today’s Gospel (Matthew 5: 20-26)  - “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is out light not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves: Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?

Actually, who are we NOT to be? We are children of God. Our playing small doesn’t save the world. There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around us. We were born to make visible the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us, it is all of us!

And as we let our own light shine we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our fears, our presence automatically liberates others.

So let us not allow our salt, our flavor, to become insipid. Let’s not allow our anger, our judgmentalness and our struggles with others rule our life. Today let us live as the person that God has created us to be rich in the gifts of faith, hope and love, rich is all that matters to God.” (Adapted from an Unknown Writer)

Have a great day everyone and don’t forget to make a joyful noise with your life today!

Daily Prayer: Loving God, in you is found the fullness of life and unconditional forgiveness and love. We place ourselves in your hands each day, asking that you make holy all that we are, all that we have, and all that we offer you. Keep us firm in our faith and strong in your service. Create in us a new heart, that we might find a peace that always welcomes us home. Amen!

A Runner’s Thoughts: Not every run need to be a search for life’s deeper meanings. Sometimes when we run we need to just “cruise!” Approach your next run with openness to the moment. Try to run unencumbered by the stress and strains of life. Look for the unexpected, look for the expected in a different way. Just cruise with God at your side!

Daily Blessing: Thursday greetings and blessings to everyone! Life seems a bit busy these days, I guess it is all part of life on the road. I always enjoy sitting down and sharing a few thoughts when I can and when my brain wants to work!

As I was sitting in the waiting room of the car dealer today waiting for my car to be serviced I received word from Twitter that I had reached 500 followers. I have been waiting about a week to finally make 500 so I celebrated quietly with a coke. I didn’t want the people sitting with me to think I was nuts. I know 500 followers on Twitter is not a huge amount compared to many but it was a milestone for me. To think that I connect with 500 people by simply sharing my faith and my passion for running is a bit energizing. So now I am shooting for 1,000. It took me about three years to hit 500 so don’t be expecting an announcement anytime soon!

It is a rainy cool day here in Pelham but they are saying the sun will be out for the weekend and Father’s Day.

My prayer of blessing today is that your Thursday has started off well and will continue to be a good day. May God bless your work, your relationships and most importantly you today! Peace in Christ’s Passion…Fr. Paul

Daily Blessing "2" - 06/11/2014

Daily Blessing "2" for 06/11/2014: I just want to send along a special blessing today to my niece and nephew, Sarah and Dominick on their third wedding anniversary! It certainly is a special time of remembrance and waiting for them. They are remembering the formal beginning of their life together as a couple and a family and they are waiting for the first new member of their family who will arrive in month or so!

May this day of remembrance truly be blessed with joy and hopefully a little celebration and my your waiting be gifted with health, safety and the great joy of anticipation for the new gift of life who will certainly bless the family with her presence and the image and likeness of God that she will bring to the world!

Happy Anniversary Sarah and Dominick! And Happy Waiting too! - Love and Peace UP

Daily Thoughts - 06/11/2014

Daily Thoughts: I was thinking early this morning about my Uncle Joe. June 11^th is his anniversary of death. He died some 31 years ago. He was my only uncle and I guess you could say I looked up to him, both literally and figuratively. I was a big man at least by the standards of those days. He has played football in high school. He was a lineman. He has the personality of a salesman, which he was, not in a negative way, but a positive way. He could talk to anyone and just being around him made you feel at ease. He would call me “Pedro.”  I am not sure why as my name is Paul and “Pedro” means Peter, however I didn’t mind and use to look forward to his greeting of “Pedro” whenever the family got together.

Uncle Joe, at least from my perspective, was a positive man always willing to pass along a good word or two. He was fun loving and at times would like to “stir the pot” at family gatherings just to keep things lively. He always seemed to have encouraging words for everyone he met.

I share these things about my Uncle Joe because today we celebrate the feast of St. Barnabas. Now Barnabas’ original name was Joseph and Barnabas’ name means “son of encouragement.”  I guess in thinking about my uncle I could not help but connect the two. Two men who because of their personalities and their outlook on life brought encouragement and energy to whomever they met. They brought the presence of God. They were gifts in the lives of the people they met. They each did it in their own way and I am grateful for having known them, one in real life and the other in my story of faith.

I am thankful for both Barnabas and Joseph today and may their spirits of encouragement bless all of us as we wander through this day and always! Have a great “Hump Day” everyone and remember to be a joyful noise today!

Daily Prayer: Loving God, please send people of encouragement who bring your presence in to our lives. We thank you for the family and friends that we have now who encourage us. Always bless us with the wisdom and favor of family, friends and people who bring the gift of encouragement to our lives always! We pray this through the source of all encouragement Jesus the Lord! Amen!

A Runner’s Thoughts: One of the things about running is that our greatest runs are rarely measured by great achievements or racing success. They are moments in time when running allows us to see how wonderful our life is. They are moments in time when running enables us to encounter the presence of God. (Adapted from a quote by Kara Goucher)

And a second thought about running from Runner’s World – “There are as many reasons for running as there are days in the year, years in my life. But mostly I run because I am an animal and a child, an artist and a saint. So, too, are you. Find your own play, your own self-renewing compulsion, and you will become the person you are meant to be.” (George Sheehan)

Daily Blessing: Wednesday greetings to all! I truly hope the first part of your week has been a good one and that your “Hump Day” has started off in a positive way. We have clouds and rain today here in Pelham with a damp coolness to the air. I guess we are to have this weather for the next couple of day. Things around here will certainly continue to be green!

I journey to Boston yesterday to attend the funeral of Fr. Fidelis Connolly, C.P. It was a long day but I was glad that I had gone. “Fid” was an important part of my early Passionist life and it was nice to celebrate the gift of his life.

I pray for God’s blessings upon your day today that it will be filled with many positives and that the negatives will only be fleeting moments. Please know I am trying to do my part for you by asking God’s blessings upon all you do, upon everyone you meet and upon everyone you love! May there be many words, signs and people of encouragement in your life today! Peace in Christ’s Passion and Joy in the Wisdom of God…Fr. Paul