Daily Thoughts - 04/16/2016

Daily Thoughts: For a little more than a week now we have been making our way through the sixth chapter of John’s Gospel.  This chapter is central to John’s revelation of the mystery of the Eucharist.

In yesterday’s Gospel, Jesus declares his that his flesh and blood is in the Eucharist.  Today, the disciples remark that Jesus’ words are a “hard saying.”  Jesus does not soften his words because he is looking for faith.  Faith is trusting when we do not understand.  The basis of faith is not belief in a mystery but belief in the person of Jesus.

We are faced with the same challenge as the disciples.  Theological mysteries have been revealed to us which we do not intellectually understand but which we accept because we trust the person of Jesus.  There may be circumstances and situations in our lives which we cannot understand and for which trust in Jesus is also necessary.  Just as Jesus was moving the disciples to another level of faith, so are we invited to grow in faith.  In order to do so we need to ask ourselves a question. “Are we willing to trust in Jesus to take us to the next level?

Jesus’ questioning of the disciples about staying or going also applies to us.  Perhaps, Peter speaks for all of us, “Lord, to whom shall we go?  You have the words of eternal life.”  Are we willing to stay and let Jesus gives ultimate meaning to our lives?

Have a great Saturday everyone!

Daily Prayer: God the Father, bless me; Christ guard me; Holy Spirit, enlighten me, all the days of my life! Lord, be the defender and guardian of my soul and our body, now and always, world without end. The right hand of the Lord preserve me always to old age! The grace of Christ perpetually defend me from the enemy! Direct, Lord, my heart into the way of peace. Lord God, deliver and help me. Amen. (A prayer in the Book of Cerne)

A Runner’s Thoughts: “May the road rise up to meet you. May the wind be always at your back.” (An Old Irish Blessing)

Daily Blessing: Saturday greetings and blessings to all! I hope your day has started off well, with a little sunshine and warmer temperatures. If not I pray the morning setbacks are only temporary and things will be humming along by the afternoon.

I am sorry for not posting the last couple of days but they became busier than I first anticipated and I didn’t get moving as early as I wanted to each more. Wednesday evening after finishing the mission at Sacred Heart in Mount Holly I was asked to visit some people in Hospice and then I had dinner with good friends who live in the parish. So I stayed the night in Mount Holly and drove home on Thursday. My Thursday was full with commitments and preparation for Friday which was our monthly taping day for the Sunday Mass. So in the midst of my busyness I just didn’t get the chance to share a few thoughts with you.

I would also like to tell you that it was announced yesterday that I have been made Executive Producer of the Sunday Mass. Fr. Edward Beck, C.P. is stepping down as the Executive Producer after eight years and I have been named by the provincial to take his place. I will be the on air host of the Sunday Mass and have the responsibility of shepherding this ministry into the future. I am very excited but also scared so I would ask your prayers. More about this new direction in my life later.

Today in a few hours I will be giving a Day of Recollection for a group of Passionist Associates. I would ask your prayers for the women and men who will be making the day and also for their preacher.

May you all have a great Saturday filled with many blessings and graced with many moments that put a smile on your face. Please know that you are in my prayers today and always. Blessings upon your journeys today, upon your encounters with other, upon your quiet moments and upon whatever this day brings into your life. Peace in Christ’s Passion and Hope in the Risen Lord…Fr. Paul

Daily Thoughts - 04/13/2016

Daily Thoughts: When I read the accounts in today’s first reading from the Acts of the Apostles about the things that happened after St. Stephen’s death. I am always caught by the fact that even though Saul was hell bent on destroying the Church God was able to change his heart and lead him to become the great Apostle Paul. It gives me hope that someone so focused on the negative, so wanting to destroy, so against the presence of some people in the world was able to become a person of joy, of peace, of love and of hope.

God did not fight Saul’s attack on his Church with vengeance, with force, with power, with war. God did not seek to destroy Saul. God did not seek to judge Saul. No God dealt with Saul’s attack through truth, compassion, love and with an invitation to be a part of the community. Somehow with words of kindness, with words of compassion, with words and gestures of love God turned Saul’s heart and created someone new Paul.

Often as we encounter our world and all its problems we think we must fight, we think that we must eliminate our enemies. We think that making fun of them, that degrading them with our words, that attacking them with half-truths, cartoons and witty jokes we will overcome them. We think that pointing to their faults and failings, that being hurtful we are doing God’s will and that we will win the battle and the war.

Yet, God has always showed us that power, vengeance and war never works. These are not the solutions to our problems or the avenues to peace. In Saul’s case God invited him to become part of the community. God invited Saul to see God in his life in a different way. God invited Saul to choose life not death. God invited Saul to a change of heart. God invited Saul to be a man of hope and love. God turn Saul’s energy of violence and hate into an energy of love, compassion, hope, mercy, joy and peace.

If we truly want our world, our culture, our society to change then perhaps rather than waging war, rather than fearing those we see as enemies, rather than attacking, rather than dismissing or making fun of those we don’t like, we should invite them into the conversation. We should extend the hand of friendship. We should invite them to be part of the community. We should show them the value of faith, hope and love. We should help them to see the light of life!

Have a great Wednesday everyone!

Daily Prayer: O God, bless us this day with a faith that can move mole hills and mountains, that has an unseen healing touch, that lives everyday stories, celebrates simple suppers and helps us carry the crosses of life so that they turn into hope filled resurrections. Help us to see the goodness in ourselves and others. Grace us with your loving presence and enliven us with hope so that we can share your presence with everyone we meet. Keep us ever mindful today of those who are in need of prayer because they are struggling with life in some way. Help us to live this day alive in joy, faith, hope, mercy and love for all who struggle, for all who carry crosses, for all who seek your peace! Amen!

A Runner’s Thoughts: “There are no standards and no possible victories except the joy you are living while dancing your run… you are not running for some future reward—the real reward is now!” (Fred Rohe)

Daily Blessing: Wednesday greetings and blessings to all. I hope and pray you are having a good day. We had a wonderful second day of mission yesterday here at Sacred Heart. Today is our third and final day of mission so please keep the faith community here at Sacred Heart in your prayers and if you have the opportunity to offer a little prayer for their preacher it would be greatly appreciated!

After the closing this evening I will head back to Pelham because I have a Thursday and Friday this week. Especially on Friday and we have our monthly taping day for the Sunday Mass.

I pray for God’s blessings upon all of you today were ever you are, upon whatever you are or will be doing and upon whomever you meet. May you be gifted with a blessed, holy and faith filled day rich in the presence and grace of God and with this richness may you all make a joyful noise today! Peace in Christ’s Passion and Hope in the Risen Christ…Fr. Paul

Daily Thoughts - 04/12/2016

Daily Thoughts: The story of St. Stephen’s death in the Acts of the Apostles make me think about what often happens in our world every day. Stephen is just being a good and faith filled person and a crazy mob comes along and stones him to death. A mob of people not thinking about life, about goodness, about being positive but a mob of people only thinking about themselves. A mob of people focused on selfishness, on fear, on evil.  Stephen remained the “bigger person” through his struggle, Stephen remained the faith filled person, Stephen remained the person of life not death.

In our world there are many people about life, about hope, about joy, and about all that is good in our culture and our society and like Stephen they often pay the price. Some with their lives, some with the burdens of life and all with what anger, terror and violence can take away from our bodies, our spirits and our souls. Sometimes it is not a mob, it is just one or two miss guided, angry people, who are more about themselves than life, who are about negativity, fear, death and evil. They often think they are about what is good, that they are doing God’s work however they are doing the work of evil and unfortunately as good people we are often reminded by the misguided of how much evil is still present in our world.

But like Stephen we need to remain the “bigger person” in the midst of a world of anger, violence and terror. We need to remain faith filled people, we need to remain people of life and not death. We need to remain people of light not darkness. We need to remain people of trust and freedom not fear. We need to remained people of hope not despair.

As we journey through this day may we continue to be remained of and to live on the Bread of Life, Jesus who is always in our midst.

Have a great Tuesday everyone!

Daily Prayer: I have not used Thomas Merton’s prayer lately so I thought it might be a prayer to help us live this day… Lord God, we have no idea where we are going. We do not see the road ahead of us. We cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do we really know ourselves, and the fact that we think we are following your will does not mean that we are actually doing so. But we believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you. And we hope we have that desire in all that we are doing. We hope that we will never do anything apart for that desire. And we know that if we do this you will lead us by the right road though we may know nothing about it. Therefore, we will trust you always though we may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. We will not fear, for you are ever with us, and you will never leave us to face our perils alone. Amen! (Adapted from a prayer by Thomas Merton)

A Runner’s Thoughts: “There is only one way to succeed in anything, and that is to give it everything.” (Vince Lombardi) So to in the spiritual life…

Daily Blessings: Tuesday greetings and blessings to all! I hope you are all well and enjoying the gift of a new day. It was a beautiful sunny day here in Mount Holly yesterday. Today the rain is to return but the mild temperatures will continue. I hope the weather where you are will bring about life to your day in some positive way.

We had a wonderful opening day of the mission yesterday it was a spirit filled morning and evening. Please keep the faith community here at Sacred Heart in your prayers as we celebrate this second day of mission. Also if you could say a little prayer for their preacher he would greatly appreciate it!

My prayer of blessing today is that we may all have a safe and productive day, rich in the presence of God and filled with God’s love and peace. May we all be held closely by God today and may we all truly know that we are loved today! Peace in Christ’s Passion and Hope in the Risen Lord…Fr. Paul

Daily Thoughts - 04/11/2016

Daily Thoughts: Today’s readings are preludes to tomorrow stories, the martyrdom of Stephen and Jesus’ discourse on the “Bread of Life.” In some ways we can say that today’s readings are about seeing and hearing and we learn that some people only see and hear what they want to see and hear. When we live life this way we open ourselves to the possibility of missing the gift, the presence of God in our life.

The religious leaders surrounding Stephen today only see and hear what they want to see and hear. They miss the very gift from God that Stephen brings to them, the very gift of God that Stephen is. They miss a chance to grow, to see and hear thing differently. They have already decided who and what Stephen is thus God has no chance.

The people following after Jesus in today’s Gospel are caught up in the miracles that Jesus has performed. They are not listening to his words, they are not open to the presence of God, they want more miraculous things. Jesus reminds them that in order for good things to happen they have to be open to the gift and presence of God in their lives. That they have to believe not in what they see and hear but in the presence of Jesus in their lives!

Often we only see and hear what we want. God can be speaking to us, calling us down a new path but we miss it. Today let us open our eyes, our ears and our hearts to the many different ways that God can be present in our lives especially those ways beyond what we want to see and hear!

Have a great Monday everyone!

Daily Prayer: Loving God open our minds and hearts to the gift of your presence. Helps us to see you and hear you in every person we encounter, every experience we have and every moment we live today. Grace us with eyes and ears that don’t just see and hear the obvious but that are open to every way you come into our lives. Enable us to be your Easter people of faith, hope and love today and always. Amen!

A Runner’s Thoughts: “Ability is what you are capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it.” (Lou Holtz) So to in the spiritual life…

Daily Blessing: Monday greetings and blessings to all. I hope your Monday has started well and you are having a good start to this new week.

I am in Mount Holly, NJ at Sacred Heart Parish where I will begin a mission this morning. The faith community here at Sacred Heart has a wonderful spirit. It was great preaching all the masses on Saturday and Sunday and I am looking forward to the next three days and evenings. Please keep the faith community here at Sacred Heart and their preacher in your prayers these days.

Even though it is to be a raining day here today it is still a good day to be alive and walking the journey of faith in God’s mercy. My prayer of blessing this morning is that God will bless your day with the faith of St. Stephen, the hope of a new day and week and the love of many people in your life.

May you be blessed with God’s presence in your travels, your work and your encounters with others. May you be graced with much love from the people who mean the most in your life!

Blessings upon everyone have a great Monday and a great week. You can be assured of my prayers as you journey through this day. I hope your weather is warming up and that you will have a rich and faith filled week! Peace in Christ’s Passion and Joy in the Risen Christ…Fr. Paul

Daily Thoughts - 04/10/2016

Daily Thoughts: “A Christian can never be sad! Never give way to discouragement! Ours is not a joy born of having many possessions, but from having encountered a Person: Jesus, in our midst; it is born from knowing that with him we alone, even at difficult moments, even when our life’s journey comes up against problems and obstacles that seem insurmountable, and there are so many of them! And in this moment, the enemy, the devil, comes, often disguised as an angel, and slyly speaks his word to us. Do not listen to him! Let us follow Jesus!” (Pope Francis)

In our First Reading today we encounter the jealous religious leaders of confronting Peter and the others with their being disobedient to the previous orders to be silent.

After reviewing how Jesus had been silenced by being hanged on a cross at the hands of these very leaders, Peter and the others leave in high spirits, because they have been proven worthy by being treated in almost the same way as Jesus. In other words, they know they are on the right path.

The Gospel today provides us with a touching scene.  Peter and his companions decide to return to the life from which Jesus had called them, fishing.  Now Jesus, who had told them at his washing of their feet that apart from him they could do nothing, so it is nothing that they do. They fish all night and catch nothing. Dawn comes and the Great Fisherman appears and with Jesus they catch a boat load of fish.

In this Resurrection encounter we have one of John’s favorite themes, bad things happen at night and Jesus as light does great things during the daylight.  They come to the realization that it is the Lord and the catch becomes secondary, at least for a while.

As the scene continues we encounter their reunion with Jesus at the breakfast.  Peter who warmed himself by a charcoal fire while betraying Jesus, is now invited to bring some of his catch to be cooked on the charcoal fire where Jesus was already cooking fish and bread.  The scene is thick with tension as Peter and the others are not sure how to act or what to say. Jesus breaks the tension by distributing the bread and fish to them.  Earlier in their relationship, Jesus had taken loaves and fish to distribute to them and many others.  This scene ends with that symbolic gesture of reconciliation.  They know who he is in the sharing of the bread.

Finally, our Gospel scene focuses in on the recommitment of Peter and his missioning by Jesus.  Peter is invited to follow Jesus once more and this time for keeps.  Our scene ends with Peter's following Jesus to a life which will imitate that of Jesus even to the manner of his death.

Jesus had a challenging habit of meeting people where they would rather not be met.  A person who has been fishing does not want anybody to ask, “How many fish?” When none have been caught, when the nets or the stringer is empty.  Jesus meets his friends today quite fishless and quite sinful.

After the Resurrection, Jesus went about connecting with his friends, both women and men, in the social and spiritually awkward settings.  He continues doing the same thing in our lives.  He does what is going on outside but what is going on inside.  He does not check what we have but where our lives are empty. He emptied himself by living his whole life even to his last breath.  He emptied his tomb to fill our emptiness through the gift of his Eucharistic presences.

Have a great Sunday everyone!

Daily Prayer: Loving God, our hearts are before us. We try but by ourselves we can do nothing. Grace us with your presence and help us to do what we cannot. Admit us to the inner room of your love. We ask, we seek, we knock. You have given us the command to ask, help us to receive. You have challenged us to seek, enable us to find. You have taught us how to knock, please open the door. Amen. (Adapted from a prayer by St. Anselm of Canterbury)

A Runner’s Thoughts: Simply imagine that God is with you constantly on a run. It matters little how you conceive God. Take whatever conception of God you have, and allow that image of God to accompany you on the trial. (Adapted from - Running The Spiritual Path by Roger Joslin)

Daily Blessing: Sunday afternoon greetings and blessings to all! I am sorry that I am a bit late with my postings today but it was a busy morning and I did not get moving as early as I wanted. I hope your Sunday started off well and that you are enjoying the gifts of an early spring Sunday afternoon. It is a beautiful sunny but cool day here in southern New Jersey.

Our Gospel today is a wonderful reminder that we have to be aware of the presence of God in our lives. I know that I don’t always recognize Jesus and at times I let the struggles and problems of life become too big.

So this afternoon I pray that God will bless us with strength, courage and joy when Jesus enters our live, invites us to recall the story and opens our hearts to his word and presence. May God bless us with the joyfulness of life and not allow us to be burdened by the struggles of life. May we encounter God in the breaking of the bread, the sharing of the cup, the gathering of family and friends and within the gift of our own life today and always. Have a blessed Sunday afternoon and evening everyone! Peace in Christ’s Passion and Joy in the Risen Lord…Fr. Paul