Daily
Thoughts:
“I ask you, is it lawful to do good on the sabbath rather than to do evil, to
save life rather than destroy it?” (Luke 6:9) This is perhaps an important
question for us to consider today as a nation and as a world. What are we about? Doing good, saving life or doing evil and
destroying life? Some might say it is all in how you look at it.
Yet in
the Gospel today that is exactly what Jesus is getting at. How do you look at
life? Do you look at life with an open mind or a closed mind? Do you look at
life through the lens of possibilities or through the lens of only one
possibility? The scribes and Pharisees had only one lens through which they
looked at life, the law. They could see no other possibilities.
I have
always admired people who walk into a situation open to seeing whatever the
possibilities are. They might have their opinion but they are also open to what
others say and do. They have their own lenses yet they can see other
perspectives. Would that we all could see and live life this way!
The
scribes and Pharisees only looked through one lens. Jesus was open to all
possibilities especially when the possibilities meant life. We pray today that
we too with the grace of God will always be open to the possibilities that
produce life.
Have a
great Labor Day everyone.
Daily
Prayer:
For the
expanding grandeur of Creation, worlds known and unknown, galaxies beyond
galaxies, filling us with awe and challenging our imaginations: We give thanks
this day.
For this
fragile planet earth, its times and tides, its sunsets and seasons: We give
thanks this day.
For the
joy of human life, its wonders and surprises, its hopes and achievements: We
give thanks this day.
For our
human community, our common past and future hope, our oneness transcending all
separation, our capacity to work for peace and justice in the midst of
hostility and oppression: We give thanks this day.
For high
hopes and noble causes, for faith without fanaticism, for understanding of
views not shared, for the gift of many possibilities: We give thanks this day.
For all
who have labored and suffered for a fairer world, who have lived so that others
might live in dignity and freedom: We give thanks this day.
For human
liberty and sacred rites; for opportunities to change and grow, to affirm and
choose: We give thanks this day.
For doing
good and saving life: We give you thanks this day.
We pray
that we may live not by our fears but by our hopes, not by our words but by our
deeds. Loving God, we give thanks this day! (Adapted from a prayer by O. Eugene Picket)
A
Runner’s Thoughts: “Struggling and suffering are the essence of a life worth
living. If you're not pushing yourself beyond the comfort zone, if you're not
demanding more from yourself - expanding and learning as you go - you're
choosing a numb existence. You're denying yourself an extraordinary trip.” (Dean Karnazes)
Isn’t
this true also of life and what Jesus challenges us with in the Gospels? Jesus
always moved beyond his comfort zone. He always demanded more of himself and
those around him. He always asked those who would listen, those who would believe,
to learn so they could expand their thinking and their life. Jesus always wants
to take us on an extraordinary trip so when we run let’s make sure we take him
with us!
Daily
Blessing:
Labor Day greetings and blessings to all! I trust you are having a good Labor
Day weekend. I hope your favorite teams won throughout the weekend and if they
didn’t, well there is always next time!
I hope
you were able to find a little time for God and prayer over the weekend. I had
a nice quiet weekend celebrating mass on Sunday at St. John and St. Mary Parish
in Chappaqua, NY, a little prayer time here at home and a number of good runs
throughout the neighborhood here in Pelham. If the weather holds I hope to get out for
another long run today.
Have a
great Labor Day everyone and may you be blessed throughout this day with the
gift of God’s grace to help you be the wonderful person that God has created
you to be – a person who moves beyond the comfort zone to do good and find life
in all that you say and do. Peace in
Christ’s Passion…Fr. Paul
No comments:
Post a Comment