Daily Thoughts: Sometimes we
see laws, rules and commands as unnecessary. Sometimes we think they are
burdensome. At times we look for ways around them or think, what is the least
we need to do to follow them. Take going to mass as an example, people often
ask me for what parts of the mass do they need to be there for in order to
fulfill their obligation? Well, as I was growing up it was often said you had
to be there before the Gospel and stay until Communion was given out. Certainly
if you go to church on Sunday you can see the people who observe the law, the
rule of going to mass in this way, they show up just before the Gospel and they
are out the door at Communion. The letter of the law!
However, I do not think that is what
Moses and Jesus are speaking about today. They are talking about living a life
of faith, living a relationship with God that does not seek to do the minimum.
It seeks to live the maximum. Moses tells the people to live their relationship
with God and pass that living on. Jesus tells the people he has come to live
his relationship with God, to be an example to the fullest extent of this
relationship.
Often people ask what they can do to get
their adult children to return to their faith. How can they get them to live a
life of faith? My answer to them is to pray for and love their children and
grandchildren, but most importantly to live their faith. The best was to make
God present to people is by living out our relationship with God as
authentically as we can, no short cuts! If we are fully invested, if we live
out our relationship with God each day, we become an example; we pass on the
gift sometimes not even knowing that we do.
Yes, rules, laws, regulations, commands
can be bothersome, they can place us in opposition to culture and society. They
can seem hard to live out. They can frustrate us. But in living by the rules,
in being faithful to our relationship with God we keep the story alive. We
enhance the community of faith. We bring the gift of God's presence to all we
meet. We pass on our faith!
Have a blessed Wednesday everyone!
Daily Prayer: Loving God,
nourish us with your Word this day. Teach us your statutes and decrees. Enliven
our hearts with a spirit of love for you and your presence in our life.
Challenge us to be more than people who do just the minimum. Grace us with the
strength to do and be our very best selves for you. Make our lives true
examples of your loving compassion in the world. Amen!
A Runner's Thoughts: Remember
running can be a kind of medicine that helps us to change physically,
emotionally and spiritually. Running can be an elixir that enlivens our life
with health, hope and the presence of God!
Daily Blessings: Hump Day
greetings and blessings to all! I hope this day has started well for you and
you will find many blessings as you journey through it!
We begin with a rainy morning here in
Long Beach but the sun is to make an appearance sometime today.
Our mission closes today here at St.
Ignatius. It has been a spirit filled journey. I continue to ask your prayers
for the faith community here at St. Ignatius Martyr Parish and for their
preacher. Hopefully we will have a very blessed closing morning and evening.
I would also ask your prayers today for
a young man in college whom I heard about yesterday. He is a very bright young
man but is struggling with himself right now so I ask if you get a chance to
offer a prayer that he is able to see his goodness and make it through these
difficult days to better days in the future. Ask God to give him strength, a
sense of purpose, peace, joy and a big helping of love!
My prayer of blessing today is that all of
us will be touched by the joy and love of God as we journey through this day. I
pray that we will recognize the richness of our life and share it with others.
And may we all be blessed with the strength to live the fullness of live not
the minimum! Many blessings of God’s joy upon everyone today. Peace in Christ’s
Passion…Fr. Paul
No comments:
Post a Comment