Daily
Thoughts:
I am not sure what I was thinking this morning but my original daily thoughts were a reflection on tomorrow's readings. I got to church this morning and looked at the Lectionary and said oops! Well the silver lining is that at least I have my reflection done for tomorrow!
Sorry for the false start today - have a great Wednesday afternoon and evening everyone!
Let
me now pause for a moment and reflect on today’s readings. I think both of our
readings today get to the same end but from different directions and thus they
offer us some food for thought.
First,
in St. Paul’s Letter to the Romans we are reminded what the focus of our life
needs to be. St. Paul’s reminds us of the commandments and the fact that all of
commandments are based on love. As St. Paul says love is the fulfilment of law.
However the point that St. Paul makes in today’s reading that often goes
unnoticed is that in order to love others, in order to fulfil the law with love
we first must love ourselves. If we cannot find love within ourselves how are
we ever going to love others and love God? Thus, for St. Paul it is about
focus, it is about centering our life.
The
same can be said for the Gospel also. What seem to be harsh words by Jesus as
the Gospel begins today are perhaps just a different way of getting our
attention. The open words of Jesus today seem to go against everything he is
teaching. Yet, I believe the real point of the Gospel today whether it is Jesus’
opening challenge or the two stories that follow is – What is your Focus in
life? Who is the center of your life?
Our
focus as people of faith needs to be God. If we have God at the center then
everything else will fall into place. If we place God first, then love, then
family, then the tasks of life will take us down the right road on our journey
to the Kingdom!
Daily
Prayer:
Grant us, O God, a mind to know you, a heart to seek you, wisdom to find you,
conduct pleasing to you, faithful perseverance in waiting for you, and a hope
of finally embracing you. Amen.” (Adapted from a prayer by St. Thomas
Aquinas)
A
Runner’s Thoughts: Some words of inspiration and faith for today are –
“I run because long after my footprints fade away, maybe I will have inspired a
few to reject the easy path, hit the trails, put one foot in front of the
other, and come to the same conclusion I did: I run because it always takes me
where I want to go.” (Dean Karnazes) And I believe, I have faith in God, in
Christ, in the Spirit, because long after I am gone maybe I will have inspired
a few to reject the easy road, hit the Eucharist, prayer and community, put one
foot in front of the other, and come to the same conclusion I did: I believe
because it always takes me to God’s love!
Daily
Blessing:
Wednesday greetings and blessings to all! I hope your Hump Day is starting off
well. As it begins to get light outside my window I have a sense that it is
going to be another beautiful day here in Columbus, Indiana. I have really been
blessed with beautiful weather so far during my stay here. It is hard to stay
indoors. I hope the weather has been kind to you these days.
We
begin our final day of mission today. It has really be a faith filled
experience. Each day in the morning and evening the faith community has been
alive and enthusiastic. They have truly journeyed with me and sought to renew
and strengthen themselves as individuals and as a community. I look forward to
this closing day. Please keep the faith community here at St. Bartholomew’s in
your prayers and if you could offer and extra prayer for their preacher it
would be greatly appreciated.
My
simple prayer of blessing today is that wherever you are, whatever you are or
will be doing, whomever you meet – will be blessed and be a blessing from God.
I pray your day will go well and that it will be all that you need it and want
it to be. Many blessings on your journeys, your work and ministry, your
interactions with others and your moments of quiet with yourself and may God’s
presence be a source of life for you and all you meet! Peace in Christ's
Passion...Fr. Paul
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