Daily
Thoughts:
As I prayed with the Gospel on this Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, I found
myself focusing on God proclaiming Jesus as beloved. Now in growing up I was a
middle child, not a true middle child because I only had an older sister and
younger brother and supposedly you need two older and two younger siblings to
be a true middle child. However, I have proclaimed myself a middle child. I
never got any attention! I was neglected! Mom and Dad always like them best. –
Not really!
For most
of my childhood I sought the attention of my parents and I guess I was not really
good in sharing it with my sister and brother. I was also a
"pleaser." I wanted everything to be affirmed by my parents, I didn't
want to do anything that displeased them, believe me it was an impossible task.
Now my
parents were not the most demonstrative people in the world. They had grown up
through the Great Depression, World War II and where serious people. Sure they
could have fun and enjoy themselves but they certainly did not gush over anyone
or anything. My father worked long hours at times and my mother was a stay at
home mom. It was not until I went to high school that we got a second car.
My
parents were busy about many things, work, their faith, their family and could
not always be present at the things we, the children, were involved in. They
rarely came to my baseball games, my swimming meets, my basketball games. I was
in one play during high school and they didn't make any of the performances. I
ran cross-country and track my junior and senior year but they never saw me
run. At the time it seemed like a big deal to me, I wondered if I was really a
good son? If they really loved me?
Now let
me say my parents were great people, the best parents and they loved me very
much but as we all know parents seems so "dumb" when we are in our
teens but they get very smart when we get to our 20's. As I look back now my
parents were always present at the most significant moments of my life. They
were always there at times when it really mattered.
I have
two images that will always stay with me. One of my father at my profession of
vows. He sat with my mother in one of the first two pews and a friend took a
picture of him as I was professing my vows, the look on his face was priceless
and you can even see a few tears running down his face. If I could have heard
his heart at that moment I am sure I would have heard, "This is my beloved
son, in whom I am pleased!" My
father died four months after I took my vows.
The
second image is of my mother at my ordination. The day before my ordination as
my mother was traveling to New York, she fell and broke her arm. My brother
took her to the hospital and the doctor suggested that she have surgery. As my
brother tells it, my mother said, "No way, just set it, my son is being
ordained tomorrow and I have to be there!" The doctor set her arm and by
the afternoon she continued on her way to New York. She was in a lot of pain
for the next week or so but she was there. In her presence that day I heard the
words, "This is my beloved son, in whom I am pleased!"
We all
have these moments when our parent’s presence speaks volumes to us, when their
presence proclaims us as beloved daughters and sons. That is what we celebrate
on this Sunday honoring the Baptism of the Lord. Today we remember that
important moment when the Father and the Spirit needed to be there for Jesus.
This moment sends Jesus on his way. This moment sends Jesus into his ministry.
This moment sends Jesus to the Cross and the Resurrection.
It is a
moment that gets played our over and over again in our important moments of
faith through our parents, families, friends and faith community, God proclaims
us as beloved daughters and sons. Moments like Baptism, First Communion,
Confirmation, Marriage, Ordination and any sacramental moment in our life. God
claims us as a daughter or son who is beloved and sends us on our way.
Let us
pray for our mothers, our fathers, our families, our friends and to our God
today so that when we next receive communion we might hear those words in our
heart, "You are my beloved daughter, you are my beloved son, I am so
profoundly pleased!"
Have a
blessed Sunday everyone and don’t forget to give a little time to God today.
Daily
Prayer:
O God, our great and wonderful Parent, declare us your beloved daughters and
sons once again. Transform us with the grace of your love into the children you
have created and called us to be. Children who bring your presence, your love,
your mercy and your peace to the world in the Spirit of Christ your most
beloved Son. May everything we do be pleasing to you because it is done through
Christ our loving Lord. Amen!
A
Runner's Thoughts: “Training is principally an act of faith.” (Franz Stampfl)
Judge the quality of your run by the steadfastness of your movement towards the
presence of God. Run strong because you are not alone!
Daily
Blessing: Sunday
greetings and blessings to all! I hope your Sunday has started off well. I hope
you are finding some time to rest and just enjoy. Here in Pelham it is going to
be a very rainy day. The rain started in the middle of the night and has gotten
more intense as time has gone on. It will probably be a good day to stay in and
read a book.
As I look
ahead it will be a busy week in some ways for me. I have a number of things I
need to get done before I hit the road at the end of January. I hope you are
not find life too busy in these early days of the New Year!
On this
Sunday honoring the Baptism of the Lord, I pray that God will renew within us
the graces and blessings we received at our own baptism. That the Holy Spirit
will enliven our faith, energize our hope and remind us of God’s everlasting
love. I pray that God will once again bless us with the gift of being his
beloved daughters and sons! May God’s mercy, grace and blessing upon all
today. Peace in Christ's Passion...Fr.
Paul
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