Daily Thoughts - 06/11/2016

Daily Thoughts: Late last night as I looked over the readings for this feast of the Apostle, St. Barnabas, which we celebrate today. I could not also help but think of my uncle Joe. June 11th is his anniversary of death. He died 33 years ago today. He was my only uncle and I guess you could say I looked up to him, both literally and figuratively. I was a big man at least by the standards of those days. He has played football in high school. He was a lineman. He has the personality of a salesman, which he was, not in a negative way, but a positive way. He could talk to anyone and just being around him made you feel at ease. He would call me “Pedro.”  I am not sure why as my name is Paul and “Pedro” means Peter, however I didn’t mind and use to look forward to his greeting of “Pedro” whenever the family got together.

Uncle Joe, at least from my perspective, was a positive man always willing to pass along a good word or two. He was fun loving and at times would like to “stir the pot” at family gatherings just to keep things lively. He always seemed to have encouraging words for everyone he met.

I share these things about my uncle Joe today as we celebrate the feast of St. Barnabas. Now Barnabas’ original name was Joseph and Barnabas’ name means “son of encouragement.”  I guess in thinking about my uncle I could not help but connect the two. Two men who because of their personalities and their outlook on life brought encouragement and energy to whomever they met. They brought the presence of God. They were gifts in the lives of the people they met. They each did it in their own way and I am grateful for having known them, one in real life and the other in my story of faith.

I am thankful for both Barnabas and Joseph today and may their spirits of encouragement bless all of us as we wander through this day and always!

Have a great Saturday everyone!

Daily Prayer: Loving God, please send people of encouragement who bring your presence in to our lives. We thank you for the family and friends that we have now who encourage us. Always bless us with the wisdom and favor of family, friends and people who bring the gift of encouragement to our lives always! We pray this through the source of all encouragement Jesus the Lord! Amen!

A Runner’s Thoughts: One of the things about running is that our greatest runs are rarely measured by great achievements or racing success. They are moments in time when running allows us to see how wonderful our life is. They are moments in time when running enables us to encounter the presence of God. (Adapted from a quote by Kara Goucher)

A second thought for today – “There are as many reasons for running as there are days in the year, years in my life. But mostly I run because I am an animal and a child, an artist and a saint. So, too, are you. Find your own play, your own self-renewing compulsion, and you will become the person you are meant to be.” (George Sheehan)

And a third thought for today in honor of Gordie Howe - "Never start talking about IF, AND, BUT or the past, because 90% of what follows will be negative." (Gordie Howe)

Daily Blessing: Saturday greetings and blessings to all! I truly hope that your week has been a good one and that your Saturday has started off in a positive way. We have sun and warmth here in Pelham today. It looks like the start of a beautiful day! I hope the same is true where you are.

Later this morning I will begin my journey west. I am headed to Chardon, Ohio where I will begin a retreat for sister on Sunday. Today I hope to leave around noon and drive for about six or so hours, then tomorrow I will drive the rest of the way and begin the retreat tomorrow evening. I will be on the road for the next two weeks. After my retreat his week I will head to Covington, Kentucky next Sunday were I will begin a retreat for sisters.

I would also like to send along a special shout out today to my niece and nephew-in-law, Sarah and Dominick on their fifth wedding anniversary! Happy Anniversary Sarah and Dominick and many blessings today – have a great day and please say hello to your precious little ones Natalee Ann and Michael for me!

I also send a shout out and my prayers to my Aunt Betty and my cousins who are remembering their husband and father today, my uncle Joe, on the anniversary of his passing. May his spirit continue to touch us and gift us on our journey of life.

I pray for God’s blessings upon everyone’s day today that it will be filled with many positives and that the negatives will only be fleeting moments. Please know you are all in my prayers as I ask God’s blessings upon all you do, upon everyone you meet and upon everyone you love! May there be many words, signs and people of encouragement in your life today! Peace in Christ’s Passion…Fr. Paul

Daily Thoughts - 06/10/2016

Daily Thoughts: “I long to see your face, O Lord.” Perhaps our response today to the responsorial psalm says a lot about why we are here and our readings. Elijah on the run from his own people, discouraged, alone and wondering what is next, finds himself at the entrance of a cave waiting to encounter God. All the loud, grand and obvious experiences of God that we often long for just pass him by. It is in an unexpected tiny whispering sound that God asks the question, “Why are you here?”

A good question, why are we here? It is perhaps a question we might ask ourselves listening to the words of the Gospel (Matthew 5:27-32). Words that might discourage us as they suggest tearing out our eyes and cutting off our hands because they might cause us to sin. However perhaps they are words that simply ask us to be honest with ourselves, words that maybe ask us if we are caught up in the fear, hurt, anger, jealousy, loneliness and fatigue of life.

Perhaps in the long journey, the often struggling journey of life we get to a point when all we want to do is encounter God, to see God’s face. We hope for the grand entrance, the profound encounter and yet if we don’t pay attention we will miss the tiny whispering sound that can bring us face to face with God. If we give into the world around us, throw our hands up in hopelessness, it will seem like the only thing to do is let go of this life because it is too hard, too difficult. How can we not sin?

However, like Elijah, like those gather around Jesus to hear his words, we must always remember that in the times of struggle, difficulty and hopelessness, God is always there. Sometimes in the grand encounters of wind, fire and a quaking earth but most often in the tiny whispering sound of the experiences, people and world around us. God doesn’t want us to give up, to despair or maim ourselves. God wants us to look around, to be honest and know why we are here – to love serve and honor God through the joyful living of life.

Sometimes it takes a tiny whispering sound to get our attention. Sometimes it takes the stark reality of life to get our attention. However, once we are focused God’s face will always be right in front of us and God’s presence will always be guiding our way!

Have a great Friday everyone!

Daily Prayer: O God, give us insight into our friendships. Help us to see your gift of love, your presence in them. Help us to be faithful friends to others, loyal, generous and kind. Grant us the gift through our friendships to love and be loved. Bless our friends this day and always with the richness of life and the faithfulness of our love. Amen!

A Runner’s Thoughts: If we run as a spiritual runner let us remember that it is being a runner that matters, it is not how fast or how far we go. The joy, the gift is in running, in the journey and not always in the destination. We have the best chance of encountering our friend God, in the midst of our run when we remain focused in the present and don’t think too far ahead! (I adapted this from a quote by John Bingham, the author of No Need for Speed: A Beginner's Guide to the Joy of Running.)

Daily Blessing: Friday greetings and blessings to all. I hope your Friday has started off well and it will be a good day that will take you into a relaxing and fun weekend. It looks to be another sunny day here in Pelham with very comfortable temperatures. I hope the skies are bright and the sun is out wherever you are today.

I will be headed to the Wartburg Home for the 11 am mass later this morning and then on to the Provincial Office to continue my transition into my new ministry of The Sunday Mass. This afternoon I will get a chance to look at my new office and get brought up to speed on my responsibilities. All part of the learning process.

My prayer today is that all will encounter the wonderful tiny whispering sound of God’s presence in your life today. That all of you like Elijah will be renewed in your journey, your mission in life and that in being honest with yourself you will overcome fear, hurt, anger, loneliness, jealousy and fatigue to be the person of joy, hope and love that God has created you to be! Enjoy your Friday and know you will all be in my prayers today and always. May your Friday be safe and may you be blessed with a good day and the beginning of a great weekend! Peace in Christ’s Passion…Fr. Paul

Daily Thoughts - 06/09/2016

Daily Thought: I ran across a quote by David Benner the author of Healing Emotional Wounds, “Forgiveness…is letting go – letting go of the anger, letting go of the right to retaliate, and letting go of the right to savour any of the emotional consequences of the hurt." I have always reflected with people who were struggling with forgiveness that forgiveness is about letting go. It is about moving beyond the hurt. Yet often people think that forgiveness means forgetting.

The wisdom in Brenner’s reflection is that he is not saying that we forget that we let go of the experience itself but that we let go of the human effects of being hurt that can often paralyze us. Perhaps said another way we need to let go so we can get beyond being a victim.

I think this is what Jesus is getting at in the God today (Matthew 5:20-26). In order for the commandment of love, which we reflected on yesterday, to fully be part of our life we have to let go of the anger, retaliation and the victimization that being hurt can often bring about.

Jesus talks about taking the high road. Jesus speaks about being the bigger person. Jesus teaches us the importance and power of love. However, there is one thing we always need to remember none of this is easy and sometimes taking the high road, being the bigger person, living by love can open us up to be hurt once again. It can also mean being rejected.  The commandment of love requires that we be forgiving people, to seek forgiveness and to offer forgiveness whether it is successful or not.

So we pray for the strength and the grace to be people willing to seek forgiveness and be forgiving!

Have a great Thursday everyone!

Daily Prayer: Loving God, you know the ways that we treat people that we do not like. You know that we judge them, we avoid them, we gossip about them, we hassle them. However, wanting to be your people of faith, your people of love, we do not want to be this way, to treat people this way anymore. So we ask you for the grace and strength to learn how to be forgiving people today and always. We want to learn how to forgive and also how to ask for forgiveness when we struggle and fail. Help us God to be a forgiving people just as you are forgiving! We pray this today and always the Jesus Christ, your Son and our friend. Amen!

A Runner’s Thoughts: Running can be so symbolic of life and faith. In running like in life we have to drive ourselves to overcome the obstacles. At times we feel that we just cannot do it. But then we find an inner strength, an inner presence and realize that we are capable of so much more than we thought. And like in faith when we run we often realize that we are not alone. That God runs with us!

Daily Blessing: Thursday greetings and blessings to everyone! Life seems a bit busy these days. But I still always enjoy sitting down and sharing a few thoughts when I can!

We finished the mission last evening at St. Ephrem’s and it was a good closing, very spirit filled. I enjoyed my time at St. Ephrem’s very much. After the closing last night, I made my way home across the city and this morning I am off early to have my car serviced and to celebrate mass at the Wartburg Home. No rest for the weary. I hope your Thursday is starting off well wherever you are.

A shout out and prayers to and for my brother, Jim, this morning who is dealing with kidney stones. Get better very soon bro! As I mentioned have a glass of Guinness!

The next few days will be days of preparation to hit the road. On Saturday I will begin my two-week journey to Ohio and Kentucky. I have a few things to get ready before leaving. This is one reason why I am off to have my car served today. It looks to be a beautiful sunny day here in Pelham today. Temperature this morning is certainly cooler than other days this past week. I think we can look forward to a few nice days ahead.

My prayer of blessing today is that your Thursday has started off well and will continue to be a good day. May God bless your work, your relationships and most importantly you today! Peace in Christ’s Passion…Fr. Paul

Daily Thoughts - 06/08/2016

Daily Thought: After reading today’s Gospel (Matthew 5:17-19) one might ask the question, “What law is Jesus speaking about?” At first glance we might be tempted to say that Jesus was about abolishing the law rather than fulfilling it. His life and ministry often seemed to challenge Jewish law rather than support it or fulfill it.

However, we might journey back to a conversation Jesus had with a scribe not too long ago (Mark 12:28-34 June 2^nd), the scribe asked Jesus, “Which is the first of all the commandments?” Jesus’ responds “to love God and to love your neighbor as yourself, these are the two great commandments.” Now, if we think of this conversation in light of today’s Gospel then we might begin to have a real understanding of what law Jesus is talking about.

All of law flows from these two great commandments, love of God and neighbor. Jesus’ life was about fulfilling these commandments, his life, his actions, his teaching and his ministry all centered on living a life in love of God and others. All that Jesus said and did was to bring fulfillment to the great law of love.

Jesus showed us the way to fulfill the law, to change the world. Thus, the challenge for us in today’s Gospel is about how we live our life. Do we live our life in order to help bring fulfillment to the law of love? Do we live life loving God, others and ourselves?

Have a great Wednesday everyone!

Daily Prayer:  Loving God, May the Cross of Our Lord Jesus Christ, be our touchstone, be our comfort, be our answer to all the dark questions. May the Cross of Our Lord Jesus Christ, be the light of all nights, the sign that you have chosen us, the mysterious and sure sign that we are yours for all eternity. Amen!

A Runner’s Thoughts: As we run today let’s imagine that God is at our side, running along with us. Imagine how God would look with kindness into the faces of all whom the two of us would meet as we run. Imagine how God would find good in everyone we encounter. Thus, as we run today, let us look for good in everyone. Let us look for good within ourselves.  (Adapted from Roger Joslin – Running the Spiritual Path)

Daily Blessing: Wednesday greetings and blessings to al! I hope everyone’s day is starting off well. The sun is out here in Brooklyn, and all is well at this moment at least in this little part of the world. I hope you can say the same wherever you are!

We begin our third and final day of mission today and so far it has been a spirit filled experience. The faith community here at St. Ephrem’s has responded very nicely to the mission with a wonderful spirit. I would ask you to continue to pray for all who are making the mission and if you could also include a prayer for their preacher it would be greatly appreciated.

Friends, my prayer of blessing for you today is that you will have a great day with many blessings upon all that you do, upon everyone you meet and upon all whom you love! May your travels be safe and successful and may your encounters with others be positive and life giving. Most importantly, may you encounter God’s blessings upon yourself and always know the gift of love that you are to this world! Peace in Christ’s Passion…Fr. Paul

Daily Thoughts - 06/07/2016

Daily Thoughts: In Matthew Jesus uses the wonderful example of salt and light in asking the disciples, in asking us to reflect on our lives. I have often preached on this Gospel using the image not of the Sermon on the Mount but of Jesus talking with his disciples one evening as they rested at an inn. They have traveled with him and Jerusalem in not far away and Jesus isn’t sure that they are ready for what is ahead, he isn’t sure their answer is “yes.” How can he help them trust in their relationship?

Then an idea comes to mind. He calls them together. Before he speaks he looks at each one of them and then says, “You are the salt of the earth! But what if salt loses it flavor? What is then good for?” Then he looks at each of them intently again and says. “You are the light of the world! People don’t put a lamp under a bushel basket, they put it on a stand so that it gives light to the whole room. In the same way your light must shine, your flavor must be tasted!”

Now I know I am being a bit free and easy with Jesus’ words but the point is that in order for us to say “yes” to God we need to trust in the gifts and talents God has given us. We need to realize that we have something to offer no matter how ordinary our gifts, abilities and talents seem. Salt and light were everyday staples of life, yet as Jesus tells us they were also very valuable and so are we. However, it is up to us. We can hide our light, we can lose our flavor or we can give light to the whole room and add flavor to life!

Perhaps the first place to start is to begin our day asking God to let his face shine upon us so that our flavor isn’t lost and our light shines! Have a great Tuesday everyone!

Daily Prayer: God of all hope, renew in us today the courage to live life to its fullest. Help us to especially stand for and live out the values that Jesus taught us, humility, courage, compassion, mercy, forgiveness and love. Grace us with your wisdom to know how to best live our life in you. When opposition comes our way help us to not give in to fear and cowardice, help us not to strike back with violence and anger, help us not to react out of pride and judgment. Help us to be humble, prayerful people of faith, humble people alive with hope and ready to offer your love. Amen!

A Runner’s Thoughts: “Now bid me run, and I will strive with things impossible.” (William Shakespeare) “Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” (Ralph Waldo Emerson) Can’t these thoughts be found in how Jesus is asking us to live? – Have a great day!

Daily Blessing: Tuesday greetings and blessings to all! I hope your morning has started off well and that this will be a good day for you in every way.

In a couple of hours, I will celebrate our second day of mission here at the Parish of St. Ephrem. Our opening day went very well. There is a nice spirit here and we had nice crowds for both sessions. I look forward to more of the same today. I ask you to please keep the faith community here at St. Ephrem’s in your prayers and if you could offer a little prayer for their preacher it would be greatly appreciated!

I hope you are finding these early days of June which are leading us towards summer enlivening and life giving. It looks to be another sunny and warm day here in Brooklyn. My prayer of blessing today is that your day will be rich with God’s blessings upon your work, your travel, your encounters with others, upon those whom you love and upon you! Peace in Christ’s Passion…Fr. Paul

Daily Thoughts - 06/06/2016

Daily Thoughts: I have a couple of thoughts about the Gospel today (Matthew 5: 1-12). The Beatitudes are one of my favorite Gospels but also one of the most challenging Gospels for me. Often times after hearing it proclaimed I am energized yet also humbled. I am ready to encounter the world yet I am also ready to head to the confessional. I want to be a true disciple yet I know I am far from it!

Fr. James Martin, S.J. writes “What does it mean to be poor in spirit?” I must admit I have always struggle with an understanding of this first beatitude. Fr. Martin’s answer, “Poor in Spirit is to know one’s reliance on God, to understand one’s dependence on God and to grasp one’s humanity.” I guess we might say that to be “poor in spirit” is to let go and let God.

The other challenge of the beatitudes is that to live fully any one of the beatitudes, you will almost automatically begin to live them all. Perhaps to put it another way, “You can’t live just one!” In order to be a peacemaker we need to also be meek, merciful, clean of heart, righteous and poor in spirit. In order to be merciful we need to be clean of heart, meek, poor in spirit, righteous and a peacemaker. They go hand in hand.

However, living the beatitudes is not easy because they will make us vulnerable to insult, persecution and the evils of our world. They will open us up to the insecurities of the world which can be troubling, harsh, insensitive and hurtful. In other words, living the beatitudes can open us up to be stepped on, hurt and not valued as a person. Living the beatitudes almost always put us in tension with the ways of culture, society and the world.

Yet, in the midst of all this Jesus tells us to rejoice and be glad. The challenge of the beatitudes has been going on since the beginning of time. Women and men before us have faced the challenge and their prize, the Kingdom, await us. Perhaps all the beatitudes can really be proclaimed and lived in the phrase, “Let go and let God!”

Have a great Monday everyone!

Daily Prayer: O God, search us and know our hearts; test us and know our concerns. See if there is any crooked way in us, and lead us in the everlasting way. For we truly do believe so our prayer to you is help our unbelief. Amen!

A Runner’s Thoughts: Remember if we have the desire to run with God, then the specifics of the techniques used do not matter very much just keep hold of the desire and God will be with you!

Daily Blessing: Monday greetings and blessings to all! I hope your day is starting off well. It looks to be a nice day here in Brooklyn at least looking out my window the sky seems to be clear as the sun rises. We had some storms blew through last evening but they left a beautiful rainbow which we encountered after dinner.

In a few hours I will open the first day of mission here at St. Ephrem’s. The weekend preaching went well and I am looking forward to our three days of mission together. I would ask that you keep the people of the Parish of St. Ephrem in your prayers and if you could say a little extra prayer for their preacher it would be greatly appreciated.

I hope you will have a great day and that it is truly a good start to your week, but if not please know that I am praying that things will get better for you. May God’s blessings be upon you wherever you are and wherever your life brings you today. May your day be rich in God’s grace, hope, love and joy and may you find the strength and energy to share God’s blessings with whomever you meet! Peace in Christ’s Passion…Fr. Paul

Daily Thoughts - 06/05/2016

Daily Thoughts: The Gospel offers us a story about a widow who is accompanying the funeral procession of her only son. The fact that she is a widow and only has one son who is now dead are the two important elements of the story. For women of Jesus’ time, having a husband and having a son were signs of God’s blessing. As the story opens, Jesus is moved with mercy, by what he encounters and approaches the funeral procession. He speaks to the dead man, “Young man, I tell you, arise.” Just like Elijah in our first reading, rises the widow’s son, Jesus gives this struggling mother back her son. As the son comes back to life he begins to speak and all who hear him and see what Jesus has done, responded with great proclamations of faith that God had visited his people.

We might say that at this point the Jewish internet begins posting or sending reports of this Jesus who is now living out exactly what he announced he would be doing when he stood up on the Sabbath and unrolled the scroll of Isaiah back in his hometown of Nazareth. He is offering God’s mercy to those most in need. He is offering God’s mercy to those who most often go without. Jesus has begun his journey to fulfil all the predictions of the coming Christ. We will spend the remainder of these Ordinary Time days watching, listening to Jesus at his very best.

Here’s a thought for the journey. In my personal prayer I have been thinking about this man who Jesus raised from death. The story says that he began speaking and we know that the fame of Jesus was spreading throughout region. Like a lot of the people in the Gospel stories, I began to wonder what happen to this man during the rest of his life? Did he become someone special, a celebrity perhaps? Did he talk about his near death experience? Did life become all about? Was he known more for his healing than the living of his life? Or was the rest of his life focused on a relationship with God, with Jesus that touched everything that he did?

We often hear it said that we first must start with a personal in our relationship with Jesus. Yet, it cannot be all about just “me and Jesus.” There can often be a subtle kind of selfishness in our spirituality when it is just “me and Jesus.” This happens when our prayer becomes all about ourselves, all about me. We want to be better, more virtuous, trusting and such. Yet, sometimes we can become celebrities in our own prayerful way. It is attractive of course, nobody is more interesting to us than ourselves.

Perhaps in avoiding the trap of “me and Jesus” we need to remember that our prayer, our friendship with Jesus is completed and perfected only by how we give of ourselves by returning to the community. The more we give of ourselves, the more we share our friendship with God in relationship with others.

Being a friend of God can become a chancy endeavor. Have a great Sunday everyone!

Daily Prayer: God of life, there are days when the burdens we carry chafe our shoulders and wear ys down; when the road seems dreary and endless, the skies gray and threatening; when our lives have no music in them and our hearts are lonely, and our souls have lost their courage. Flood the path with light, we ask you; turn our eyes to where the skies are full of promise. Amen (Prayer by St. Augustine of Hippo)

A Runner’s Thoughts: “The advice I have for beginners is the same philosophy that I have for runners of all levels of experience and ability—consistency, a sane approach, moderation, and making your running an enjoyable, rather than dreaded, part of your life.” (Bill Rodgers)

Daily Blessing: Sunday greetings and blessings to all. In an hour and a half I will begin a long day of preaching here at St. Ephrem’s Parish in Brooklyn, NY. Things got off to a good start last night as I preacher the 5 pm Saturday evening mass and my invitation to the Parish Mission will continue today with four masses beginning at 8 am and ending with the 5 pm mass this evening. St. Ephrem’s is a very nice parish in the Dyker Heights section of Brooklyn not far from the Verrazano Bridge. If you live in the area come join us Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday for the mission either in the morning after the 8:45 am mass or in the evening at 7:30 pm.

It looks to be a cloudy day here in Brooklyn with I believe a chance of rain throughout the day. I guess we could use the rain. I am just hoping I can get out for a run later today or at least a walk. I hope the weather by you today will enable you to enjoy the gift of God’s creation in some way.

My Sunday prayer of blessing is that you will be blessed with the spirit of faith to help you on this journey of life. May you be blessed with the spirit of hope to get you through the rough times. May you be blessed with a spirit of mercy to help to see God in others and yourself. May you be blessed with the spirit of love to remind you in whose image and likeness you are created in, how special you are and that you are never alone. As you journey through this day may you know that God is with you always and will never leave you to face your struggles alone! Don’t forget to give God a little time today and have a great Sunday everyone! Peace in Christ’s Passion…Fr. Paul