Daily Thoughts: In today’s Gospel we hear the familiar story of Jesus
telling us not to hide our “light” under a vessel, a box or the bed but rather
to place the our light where it will allow others safe passage as they enter
the room. Doing this seems like a no brainer. Don’t we always light a light so
that it gives light to the whole room? Why is telling us this so important to
Jesus?
There is another parable in
Luke’s Gospel, in chapter 19 to be exact, the Parable of the Ten Coins that
seems to focus on the same message. A
nobleman is going on a journey so he calls in ten servants and makes each one
responsible for one coin. When he returns each servant comes forward to give an
accounting of what he has done with the coin. One servant does nothing with his
coin, in fact, he hides the coin in a handkerchief because he is afraid of the
master. Both parables, the candle and the coins, speak to the same teaching,
that we are to share our gifts so that we can help make the Kingdom of God
present in the here and now.
Both parables also end with
an ominous warning: “To everyone who has, more will be given; from those who
have not, even what they seem to have will be taken away.” The servant who buried his coin rather than
investing it like the others is sternly dealt with, he loses everything or to
put it in terms of today’s parable, his light goes out and he is left with
darkness. This is not about gaining or losing wealth, it is about gaining or
losing the Kingdom of God. It is about living in the eternal light or being in
the darkness outside where there is wailing and grinding of teeth.
Jesus is using an analogy to
talk about discipleship, he is not discussing candles and coins. The candle
light and the coins are the gifts and talents we have been given to be used for
building the Kingdom of God in the here and now. They can be our skills, our
talents, our relationships, our experiences of life, the blessings that we have
received. The challenge is what do we do with them? Do we hide them away? Do we
live in fear of God? Or do we invest them? Do we light our lamp, or candle and
place it on a stand in the middle of the room so that it gives light to all? Do
we share the person God has created us to be?
If we trust in our
relationship with God. If we trust in ourselves then we will not hide our gifts
but share them so that we and others will encounter the presence of God. By
lighting our light for all, by sharing our gifts we welcome God into our hearts
and share his Kingdom!
Have a blessed Monday
everyone.
Daily Prayer: O Lord our God, grant us grace to desire you with a
whole heart, so that desiring you we may seek you with a whole heart and find
you; and so finding you, may love you, and loving you may hate those sins which
separate us from you, for the sake of Jesus Christ. Amen (St. Anselm of
Canterbury)
A Runner’s Thoughts: “It’s hilly and you have to watch your step, but the
leaves inspire you.” (Carolyn Koleszar)
So to in the spiritual life…
Daily Blessing: Monday greetings and blessings to all! It is just
after midnight and in four hours a car will be here to take me to the airport.
Today I begin what I hope to be an incredible journey though some might say a
rather crazy journey. This morning I will catch a 5:55 am flight to
Philadelphia and then change planes for an 8:00 am flight to Las Vegas. In Las
Vegas I will rent a car and drive about four hours to a town in southern Utah
named Kanab. Six days from tomorrow on Sunday Sept. 25th I will
begin the Grand2Grand Ultra Marathon (From the Grand Canyon to the Grand
Staircase) that will cover seven days, six stages and 170 miles. I will be
carrying as I run, walk and perhaps crawl all my provisions for the seven days,
i.e. food, sleeping bag and mat, clothing and assorted other things. I will
average about 26 miles a day, hopefully!
Come next Saturday, Sept. 24th,
I will go dark technology wise for the week, meaning no phone, no computer, no
daily thoughts, no real communication with the world other than nature and the other
people running the race. You might say it will be just me, the Utah wilderness
and God.
I hope to use the time as a
retreat. I hope to do a little soul searching, reflecting and praying. I know
it will be perhaps one of the most challenging times in my life and maybe even
one of the most difficult times in my life.
As this week continues I will
give you more details about my journey and what this all might mean in my life.
I hope to keep a journal as I run that eventually in the coming months I will
share with you. As I said I hope to have a lot of prayer time and I will
remember all of you in my prayers. I ask your prayers for me and all the
runners that it will be a safe and life-giving journey for all of us.
As I said my day is starting
early I hope by the time you read this your day has started well, full of life,
energy and God’s grace. My prayer of blessing for all of you today is that as
you journey through your day may it be a good journey. May you live by faith
and trust in the gift that you are. May you place your gift, your light, on a
stand in the middle of the room so that it will give light to the whole house, to
everywhere you go and to everyone you meet. Blessings today upon all you do,
upon everyone you meet and most importantly upon all of you! Peace in Christ’s
Passion…Fr. Paul
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