Daily
Thoughts:
I read a short quote from Pope Francis in the midst of my morning prayer today,
“Sing to the Lord a new song. (Psalm 95:1) What is this new song? It does not
consist of words, it is not a melody, it is the song of your life, it is
allowing our life to be identified with that of Jesus, it is sharing his
sentiments, his thoughts, his actions. And the life of Jesus is a life for
others. It is a life of service.”
I read
this after praying for a few moments with the Gospel (Mark 2:18-22) in which
Jesus says, “no one pours new wine into old wine skins…. Rather, new wine is
poured into fresh wineskins.” So if we are singing a new song it cannot be the
same old life that sings. It has got to be a new life, a new way of looking at
the world. It has got to be a new way of looking at ourselves and others.
Often we
are afraid of new, afraid of change, afraid of difference yet Jesus, Pope
Francis and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. tell us not to be afraid, but to pour,
to sing and to dream new.
Happy
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day – Happy Monday – and Happy New Wine, New Song and
New Dream – Everyone!
Daily
Prayer:
Loving God, you call us today to sing a new song, to be new skins for the grace
of your new wine, to be your people of a new dream of freedom, of justice, of
equality for all. Help us today to look beyond the fears, the obstacles, the
hate, the angry rhetoric and the sinfulness that often prevents us from singing,
holding and dreaming the newness of your mercy, life and love. Give us the
hopefulness of new dreams, the faith of a new song and the love which we can
carry in a new life to others. Amen!
A
Runner’s Thoughts: “Never underestimate the power of dreams and the influence
of the human spirit. We are all the same in this notion: The potential for
greatness lives within each of us.” (Wilma
Rudolph)
Daily
Blessing:
Monday greetings and blessings and happy Martin Luther King Day everyone from
sunny and cold Pelham! It is a winter morning and there is some ice on the
roads so if you live in the northeast please be careful traveling this morning.
I am
sorry that I didn’t post the last two days but my brain was not working at top efficacy
and I need a couple of days off to recharge. So that is why if you came looking
for my thoughts, prayers and musings you didn’t find them.
I hope
this find you well and into your Monday morning without too much difficulty. I
would guess for some of you today is a free day meaning you didn’t have to
travel into work, for others it is the beginning of a new work week. I will be
heading out this morning for a spiritual direction appointment so you might say
my day is beginning with a little self-evaluation and reflection that hopefully
will get me ready for a long Lent of preaching that is not too far away.
Today I
pray that God blesses us all with the grace to be new wines skins that hold the
new song of God for the world. May we share that new song with everyone we meet
today in our own gifted way. May we smile, may we laugh, may we share our
wisdom, may we dream, may we believe, may we hope and may we always love! In
the spirit of Dr. King may we move toward a world in which all people are
valued, all people are free and where peace is the rule of the day! Blessing
upon everyone today! Peace in Christ’s Passion…Fr. Paul
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