Daily Thoughts: Pope Francis in
an address on April 1, 2013 said the following: "The grace contained in
the sacraments of Easter is an enormous potential for the renewal of our
personal existence, of family life, of social relations. However, everything passes
through the human heart: if I let myself be touched by the grace of the Risen
Christ, if I let him change me in that aspect of mine which is not good, which
can hurt me and others, I allow the victory of Christ to be affirmed in my
life."
In our first reading today from the Acts
of the Apostles Peter and John challenge the people about not begin open to the
presence of God in their lives, about not being open to the Easter mystery, the
Easter sacraments as Pope Francis put it. They ask those gather to open their
hearts to the grace of the Risen Lord, to let it pass through their hearts and
change them.
In the Gospel the disciples at first are
afraid of the presence of the Risen Lord but Jesus offers them peace and the assurance
that he is really with them so that by the end of his visit they have opened their
hearts to the grace and the spirit of the ultimate Easter sacrament, Jesus. Their
transformation has begun. They have become the witnesses of this great
sacrament and the power that it can be in a person’s, a community’s life.
Our readings and Pope Francis ask us to
be open to the awesomeness of Easter, to
be open to the countless ways in which God becomes present in our lives each
and every day. Openness to the grace of the sacraments of Easter, openness to
the presence of the Risen Lord, openness to the awesome potential that God’s
presence and grace offers us can make all the difference in our journey through
life.
Thus perhaps the question or the
challenge at the beginning of this new day is – Are we open to the grace of the
Easter sacraments? Will we allow that grace to change us?
A blessed Thursday everyone!
Daily Prayer: Be with us
today O God, be with us as we wake, be with us as we watch and live this day,
be with us if we weep and morn, give your angels and saints charge over us when
we sleep. Tend to us, O Lord, if we are sick today, help us if we are weary to
find rest today, journey with us through the last steps of life today if you
are calling us. Comfort us if we are suffering today, give compassion to us if
we are afflicted today and celebrate with us as we live today in your joy, We
ask all of this in the grace of your love and live this day for the sake of
your love for us! Amen (Adapted from a prayer by St. Augustine of Hippo)
A Runner’s Thoughts: As we run today
let us look at our run this way that everywhere we put our foot today we will
feel the presence of God. God is our friend and our closeness to our friend God
is in the placement of our foot with each stride we take during our run. We run
today knowing that God is underneath us, beside us, within us!
Daily Blessing: Thursday greetings
and blessing to all. I hope your day is getting off to a go start. We begin the
third and final day of retreat here in Jamaica. Please continue to keep the six
Passionist Volunteers in your prayers and if you have time their preacher also!
Have a blessed day rich in the grace of
Easter. May the Risen Christ touch your life with the joy of the first Easter.
May you be touch by the newness of life as you encounter others, journey
through your day and celebrate the gift of life by living this day to the
fullest. Peace in Christ's Passion and the Risen Lord...Fr. Paul
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