Daily
Thoughts:
Once again in, Evangelii Gaudium, Pope Francis writes, “I never tire of
repeating those words of Benedict XVI which take us to the very heart of the
Gospel: “Being a Christian is not the result of an ethical choice or a lofty
idea, but the encounter with an event, a person, which gives life a new horizon
and a decisive direction”.
Thanks
solely to this encounter – or renewed encounter – with God’s love, which
blossoms into an enriching friendship, we are liberated from our narrowness and
self-absorption. We become fully human when we become more than human, when we
let God bring us beyond ourselves in order to attain the fullest truth of our
being.”
These
words from Pope Francis and Pope Benedict today touch on the theme of our
scriptures. Who are we? What are we about? Seems to be the question asked in
our readings (Genesis 17: 3-9 and John 8: 51-59). Abram is to become the father
of a host of nations; his name is even changed from Abram to Abraham. He is
redefined as a person because of his personal encounter with God. Abraham is
now a friend of God.
Jesus
does not make himself out to be just anybody; Jesus is “I AM” and if we believe
we have the gift of eternal life. It is a hard pill for the religious
leadership to swallow. Jesus is not able to break through their stony heart
with this personal encounter, in fact they pick up stones to do away with him.
They cannot be liberated from their narrowness or self-absorption.
Perhaps
our challenge today is to renew ourselves in light of our personal encounter
with Christ, to have faith in the covenant, to believe in Jesus as “I AM,” to
trust in our friendship with God. We are challenged today to let God bring us
beyond ourselves to attain the fullest truth of who we are so that we can live
this day a God’s joy filled friends who share our joy with everyone we meet!
Have a
great Thursday and a Happy St. Patrick’s Day everyone!
Daily
Prayer: As
I arise today, may the strength of God pilot me, the power of God uphold me,
the wisdom of God guide me. May the eye
of God look before me, the ear of God hear me, the word of God speak for me.
May the hand of God protect me, the way of God lie before me, the shield of God
defend me, the host of God save me. May Christ shield me today. Christ with me,
Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ
above me, Christ on my right, Christ on my left, Christ when I lie down, Christ
when I sit, Christ when I stand, Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of
me, Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me, Christ in every eye that
sees me, Christ in every ear that hears me. Amen!
A
Runner's Thoughts: As we run today let us choose the road less traveled: the
road of awareness as we run, the road of revelation as we run, the road of
intention as we run, the road of mindfulness as we run, the road of imagination
as we run, the road of joy as we run, the road of prayer as we run. Today let's
pick a road we have not traveled lately and let it make a difference in our
life today!
Daily
Blessing: Top
o' the morn to all! Thursday greetings and blessings and Happy St. Patrick’s
Day everyone. I hope you are celebrating at least a little because you know
there is a little Irish in everyone even if it is just your smile, so celebrate
a little.
I hope
this finds you well and enjoying the beginning of this St. Patrick’s Day. If
that is too optimistic for you, I hope this finds you well and beginning a new
day with the hope of a good day or at least a day that will get better than
this moment!
Our
mission at St. Joseph’s had a great ending last evening. As the days before,
our closing was spirit filled and energizing. I made my way home last night and
I am greeting you this morning from Pelham. I will be doing wash this morning
and then I have an 11 am mass at the Wartburg. This afternoon I will head to
Germantown, New York as I have a Day of Recollection for the Carmelite Sister
of the Aged and Infirmed tomorrow. So even on St. Patrick’s Day no rest for the
itinerant preacher.
My prayer
of blessing today is that you will have a great St. Patrick’s Day, with many
blessings. May the road rise up to meet you, may the wind be always at your
back, may the sun shine warm upon your face, and the rain fall soft upon your
fields, and until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of His hand.
If you
are celebrating today may you do so safely and joyfully. May we all be blessed
with the strength of God to guide us, the power of God to uphold us, and the
wisdom of God to enlighten me. Peace in Christ’s Passion…Fr. Paul
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