Daily Thoughts: “Lord, let your
face shine on me.” What a wonderful thought and mantra to start the day. As St.
Paul says in the first reading today from the Second Letter to the Corinthians
our answer to our relationship with God needs to always be “yes!” In other
words we need to go all in when it comes to our faith. And how do we do this?
Well I think the answer comes from our
Gospel today. In Matthew Jesus uses the wonderful example of salt and light in
asking the disciples, in asking us to reflect on our lives. I have often
preached on this Gospel using the image not of the Sermon on the Mount but of
Jesus talking with his disciples one evening as they rested at an inn. They
have traveled with him and Jerusalem in not far away and Jesus isn’t sure that
they are ready for what is ahead, he isn’t sure their answer is “yes.” How can
he help them trust in their relationship?
Then an idea comes to mind. He calls
them together. Before he speaks he looks at each one of them and then says, “You
are the salt of the earth! But what if salt loses it flavor? What is then good
for?” Then he looks at each of them intently again and says. “You are the light
of the world! People don’t put a lamp under a bushel basket, they put it on a
stand so that it gives light to the whole room. In the same way your light must
shine, your flavor must be tasted!”
Now I know I am being a bit free and
easy with Jesus’ words but the point is that in order for us to say “yes” to
God we need to trust in the gifts and talents God has given us. We need to
realize that we have something to offer no matter how ordinary our gifts,
abilities and talents seem. Salt and light were everyday staples of life, yet
as Jesus tells us they were also very valuable and so are we. However it is up
to us. We can hide our light, we can lose our flavor or we can give light to
the whole room and add flavor to life!
Perhaps the first place to start is to
begin our day asking God to let his face shine upon us so that our flavor isn’t
lost and our light shines! Have a great day everyone!
Daily Prayer: God of life,
there are days when the burdens we carry chafe our shoulders and wear us down:
when the road seems 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 their courage. Flood the path with light, we ask you: turn our eyes to
where the skies are full of promise and life has flavor once again. Amen!
(Adapted from a prayer by St. Augustine of Hippo)
A Runner’s Thoughts: “What is the
source of my success? I think it's a combination of consistency and balance.” (Mark
Allen) And so to in the spiritual life, growth, success comes from consistency
in prayer and balance in life!
Daily Blessing: Tuesday
greetings and blessings to all! It is another cloudy, gloomy and probably rainy
day here in Pelham. I hope things are a bit lighter and brighter where you are.
I continue getting things ready for the beginning of my travels later this week
and I continue my 41 day running streak. Today is day 16 of the streak and I am
putting in the miles. It feels good to be out on the road again. I can feel
what it does to my physical, emotional and spiritual health and for the most
part it is all good. Though I think today I will be running through the rain
drops!
May your day be blessed with the God’s
face shinning upon it. May you truly let your light shine. And may the gift of
your flavor enliven the world around you today and always. May God bless you
with safe travels, wonderful encounters with people, moments of peace and quiet
when you need them and the gift of God’s joyful presence throughout your day!
Peace in Christ’s Passion…Fr. Paul
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