Today’s
gospel may seem inappropriate for today’s feast. Jesus sends seventy-two
disciples out to announce the Kingdom of God to all the places that Jesus
intends to visit. From her convent St. Thérèse offered her life and sufferings
for the coming of God’s Kingdom, praying especially for priests and those
involved in ministry. So powerful were
her prayers that the Church made here one of the universal patrons of missions.
In today’s
first reading from the Book of the Prophet Nehemiah. Israel had returned to
Jerusalem after years of the exile in Babylon. Israel begins the process of
recommitting to God and to living out once again their covenant with God given
to Moses on Mount Sinai. The priest Ezra is publicly proclaiming the Torah
before Israel’s leaders and people. Jesus revered the Law of Israel, but he
reminded his disciples that the entire law is fulfilled to the degree they live
the two great commandments of love of God and of neighbor.
St. Thérèse
in the living of her simple life in the cloistered Carmelite convent fulfilled
the law that Ezra proclaimed and that Jesus taught.
St. Thérèse
is one of our most popular and beloved saints in our world today. All she asks
us to do is to love God in the ordinary events of our life. By celebrating her
life today we are invited to imitate St. Thérèse by embracing the joys, works,
and sufferings of our daily lives and living them with love!
Have
a great Thursday everyone!
Daily
Prayer:
We
pray today – May there be peace within us.
May we
trust God that we are exactly where we are meant to be.
May we
not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith.
May we
use the gifts that we have received,
and pass on the love that has been given us.
and pass on the love that has been given us.
May we
be content knowing we are a child of God, letting his presence settle into our
bones, allow our soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love.
God
spirit and love is there for each and every one of us. Amen
(Adapted from a prayer by St. Thérèse of
Lisieux)
A Runner’s
Thoughts:
Running is the greatest metaphor for life because you get out of it what you
put into it. (Oprah Winfrey) So to in the spiritual life…
Daily
Blessing:
Happy October and Thursday greetings and blessings to all! It is a very rainy and windy start to
the day here in Chester. The wind howled most of the night and the rain has
joined it this morning. I am hoping to take a little walk at some point down to
the harbor just to see it on a rainy day. I hope you are faring better with you
weather today.
I
would like to send a special shout out to my classmate Fr. Chris Cleary, C.P.
who has a special devotion to St. Thérèse of Lisieux. He has just start a new
ministry in Jamaica, New York so I pray that St. Thérèse will protect and guide
him in a special way as she has always done, throughout his time at Immaculate
Conception Parish.
I
pray for all of you that you will have a great day filled with many blesses,
much love and feelings of peace. May you all be rich in faith, hope and love
which God has planted with in you. And may the wonderful spirit of St. Thérèse of
the Child Jesus guide you through the day! Peace in Christ’s Passion…Fr. Paul
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