Daily Thoughts: Yesterday I
watched some of the Boston Marathon and I was glad that the race went off
without any problems unlike two years ago when tragedy took place in the midst
of the race. As I reflected in the readings this morning my thoughts returned
to the Boston Marathon two years ago.
The story of St. Stephen’s death in the
Acts of the Apostles made me think about what happen at the marathon two years
ago. Here was Stephen just being a good and faith filled person and a crazy mob
comes along and stones him to death. A mob of people not thinking about life,
about goodness, about being positive but a mob of people only thinking about
themselves. A mob of people focused on selfishness, on fear, on evil. Stephen remain the “bigger person” Stephen
remained the faith filled person, Stephen remained the person of life not
death.
In Boston two years ago many people were
about life, were about hope, were about joy, were about all that is good in our
culture and our society and like Stephen they paid the price. Some with their
lives, some with their injuries and all with what a brief moment took away from
our bodies, our spirits and our souls. It was not a mob, it was two miss
guided, angry young men who were about death, negativity, fear, and evil. They
thought they were doing God’s work however they were doing the work of evil and
unfortunately as good people we are often reminded by the misguided of how much
evil is still present in our world.
But like Stephen I think the people of
Boston two years ago, the runners, the spectators, all good people remained the
“bigger person,” they remained faith filled people, they remained the people of
life and not death. They remained the people of light not darkness. They remained
people of trust and freedom not fear. They remained people of hope not despair.
As the two year anniversary of the
marathon bombing was remembered yesterday the people of Boston find themselves
in the midst of deciding what should happen to one of their attackers. Should
he be put to death or given life. I am sure for some there is an easy answer –
death! But my hope is that we will like St. Stephen will continue to be “bigger
people” that we will be people of life. My hope is that we will draw upon our
relationship with God, with Jesus and not give in to vengeance or revenger but
give into Jesus, the Bread of Life.
Congratulations to all the runners
yesterday, congratulations to the city of Boston may the joy and the gift of
goodness celebrated yesterday continue to live on and may it remind of the
Bread of Life, Jesus who is always in our midst.
Have a blessed and joyous Tuesday
everyone!
Daily Prayer: Lord God, we
have no idea where we are going. We do not see the road ahead of us. We cannot
know for certain where it will end. Nor do we really know ourselves, and the
fact that we think we are following your will does not mean that we are
actually doing so. But we believe that the desire to please you does in fact
please you. And we hope we have that desire in all that we are doing. We hope
that we will never do anything apart for that desire. And we know that if we do
this you will lead us by the right road though we may know nothing about it.
Therefore we will trust you always though we may seem to be lost and in the
shadow of death. We will not fear, for you are ever with us, and you will never
leave us to face our perils alone. Amen! (Adapted
from a prayer by Thomas Merton)
A Runner’s Thoughts: “The marathon
[or any race for that matter] is an opportunity for redemption. Opportunity,
because the outcome is uncertain. Opportunity, because it is up to you, and
only you, to make it happen.” ( Dean Karnazes) So to in the spiritual life –
our relationship with God is an opportunity, an opportunity for redemption, an
opportunity that is up to us to make it happen – to choose God!
Daily Blessings: Tuesday greetings
and blessings to all! I hope you are all well and enjoying the gift of a new
day. Heavy thunder storms rolled through Enola last night but the sun is out
this morning and it looks like it will be a beautiful day!
We had a wonderful second evening of
mission last night and even though the thunderstorms were all around us and the
rain poured down it was a spirit filled evening. Please keep the faith
community here at Our Lady of Lourdes in your prayers as we prepare to close
the mission this evening. Also if you could say a little prayer for their
preacher he would greatly appreciate it!
My prayer of blessing today is that we may
all have a safe and productive day, rich in the presence of God and filled with
God’s love and peace. May we all be held closely by God today and may we all
truly know that we are loved today! Peace in Christ’s Passion and Hope in the
Risen Lord…Fr. Paul
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