Daily
Thoughts:
As the saying goes curiosity killed the cat. But does it? Sometimes we think of
curiosity only as something negative, something that will ultimately get us in
trouble. However, curiosity can be a good thing. It can help us to encounter
and experience many wonderful things that if we had not been curious about them
we might have missed the experience. Think of all the wonderful things that
have been discovered or invented because people were curious. Think of all the
diseases that have been cured because people were curious. Curiosity can be a
very positive experience.
Today in
the Gospel Herod is curious about Jesus, just as he was curious about John the
Baptist. I often get the feeling that Herod was not far from the Kingdom of
God. He was not far from being a really good person. He was not far from
following Jesus. However, Herod never really let his curiosity lead him to the
Kingdom instead he worried about what others might think or say or do. He never
let himself truly experience the presence of God in his midst. Herod curiosity
led to fear rather than new life. Herod curiosity led to worldly things rather
than to God.
We are
all curious people but the question is – what do we do with our curiosity? Perhaps
a few questions we might ask ourselves as we journey through this day are. Do
we let our curiosity lead us to God or the world? Is our curiosity healthy and
purposeful or unhealthy and destructive? Are we willing to let our curiosity
led us to a deeper relationship with God or to a fear of God?
Have a
great Thursday everyone!
Daily
Prayer: Grant, O God, that we may never fall away in
success or in failure; that we may not be prideful in prosperity nor dejected
in adversity. Let us rejoice only in what unites us and sorrow only in what
separates us. May we strive to please no one or fear to displease anyone except
you, our God. May we see always the things that are eternal and never those
that are only temporal. May we shun any joy that is without you and never seek
any that is beside you. Loving God, may we delight in any work we do for you
and tire of any rest that is apart from you. Gracious God, let us direct our
hearts towards you, and in our failings, let us always seek forgiveness with
the firm purpose of being better people. Amen! (Adapted from a prayer by St. Thomas Aquinas)
A
Runner’s Thoughts: “Running is a thing worth doing not because of the future
rewards it bestows, but because of how it feeds our bodies and minds and souls
in the present.” (Kevin Nelson)
Daily
Blessing:
Thursday blessings and greetings to all. I hope your day has started well? It
looks like another rainy day here in Kanab. It rained all day yesterday and all
through the night. There is flash flood watch until Friday and I am wondering
what all this rain means for the race. Will I be running through the mud all
next week? Well no sense worrying until then. I hope the weather is better where
you are.
This is
the last full day of rest until the pre-race activities start on Friday. In
some ways I will be glad when Friday comes and things get started but it is
also nice to have this reflective time.
Because
come Saturday I will go dark technology wise on Friday I will post all my
reflections, prayers, runner’s thoughts and blessings for next week on my web
site – www.preacherman.org. Thus you will be able to go to my web site each day
and get a little faith food for your journey. There will not be any Facebook reminders
or tweets. If you want my thoughts, prayers and musings you will have to remember
to go to the web site yourself each day. This is the best that I can do. I will
be back up and running, so to speak, with my usually postings each day either on
Sunday October 2nd or Monday October 3rd.
As I sit
watching the rain this morning my prayer of blessing today is adapted from the
Irish tradition - May God bless all of you today so that the road rises up to
meet you and makes your journeys swift and easy. May the wind be always at your
back. May the sun shine warm upon your face. And if the rain has to fall may it
be soft upon the land and upon you. And may you be truly blessed by God holding
you in the palm of his hand throughout this day and always!
Have a
great day everyone! May it truly be blessed with many wonderful experiences, many
gifted and loving people and the energy that a new day can bring! Peace in
Christ’s Passion…Fr. Paul
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