Daily Thoughts - 07/02/2016

Daily Thoughts: In today’s gospel Jesus presents himself to his disciples, and to us, as our bridegroom. Jesus says he desires to relate to them, and to us, as a bridegroom relates to a bride!

This is quite an invitation to intimacy and in thinking about it, one might feel a little uncomfortable. To be honest with you, I am much more comfortable focusing on what Jesus as savior, shepherd and friend -- our way, our truth our life. I am comfortable acknowledging Jesus as savior of humanity, and for saving me as part of the human race.

But it is sometimes scary when Jesus reveals what he desires from us individually, that is, when he invites us to be with him in the most intimate human relationship, that of a bridegroom and bride. This invitation can seem overwhelming because intimacy ask so much more of us perhaps more than we want to give.

But he is honest with us and his disciples. He asserts that he does not want us simply to “patch up” our former relationship with God -- patching up old cloth and old wineskins doesn’t work. Jesus invites us to a new relationship, new cloth, new wineskins.

Can he really mean it? What do we do now? Can we accept the invitation?

But what Jesus asks Jesus gives. We can only pray for the grace to remove our resistance and to allow Jesus to draw us into this spousal intimacy.

Lord, teach us how to let you be our bridegroom and speak to us of peace!

Have a great Saturday everyone.

Daily Prayer: Help me, O God, to be a good and true friend: to be loyal and never to let my friends down; never to talk about them behind their backs in a way that I would not do before their faces; never to betray a confidence or talk about things I should be silent about; always to be ready to share everything I have; to be as true to my friends as I would wish them to be tome. This I ask for the sake of him who is the greatest and truest friend, for Jesus’ sake. Amen. (William Barclay)

A Runner’s Thoughts: “Not just exercise, but a way to get in touch with and reclaim myself in an often fragmenting world, running also serves as a powerful antidote to clinical depression, a metaphor for the creative process, and, in its most profound moments, a spiritual practice.” (Alison Townsend)

Daily Blessing: Saturday greetings and blessings to all. After the storms of yesterday evening and night I awakened to a beautiful, clear, cool sunny day. It is one of those invigorating days that make you want to get out of bed and do something. I hope the mother nature has provided you with a beautiful Saturday wherever you are!

Sometime this morning I hope to get out for a run and then I will spend the rest of the day working on my homily for tomorrow as I have the noon mass at St. John and St. Mary’s Parish in Chappaqua, NY.

Have a great Saturday with many blessings in whatever you will be doing, working, relaxing, having fun or even traveling. I pray that God will be with you throughout your day and bless you with the richness of his presence and love. If you have to travel during this holiday weekend, please do so safely! Blessings today and always and may this holiday weekend be filled with family, friends and fun! Peace in Christ’s Passion…Fr. Paul