Daily Thoughts - 09/10/2016

Daily Thoughts: In our Gospel from Luke today, Jesus uses images from nature to talk about how our actions reflect who and what we are. Jesus says that “every tree is known by its own fruit.” He encourages us to look at what is in our mind and heart and then compare it with our actions. Actions are the fruits of our thoughts and desires, motivations and interests, joys, pains, and hurts.

However, Jesus goes further. He also challenges us to compare what is in our mind and in our heart with his Word. Jesus invites us to listen to him and allow his word to transform our hearts and minds. Perhaps said a little differently, in our Gospel today Jesus outlines a strategy for us. First of all, he asks us to listen to his Word. Next, Jesus challenges us, to be transformed by his Word. Finally, Jesus challenges us to act, to live in friendship with his Word.

If and when we follow this blueprint we can be sure that our lives will bear plentiful fruit that can be enjoyed by everyone who wanders into our life. Let us live today and with our life bear good fruit!

Have a great Saturday everyone!

Daily Prayer:

Take, Lord, and receive
 all my liberty, my memory,
 my understanding, my entire will—
 all that I am and possess.
 You have given all this to me.
 I now return it all to you.
 It is yours now.
 Use these gifts according to your will.
 Give me only your love and your grace.
 That is enough for me, and all that I desire.
(Prayer by St. Ignatius Loyola)

A Runner’s Thoughts: “There are always going to be waves on the surface. Instead of trying to bodysurf or change the tides, the wisest thing to do is dive deeper.” (Kristin Armstrong) So to in the spiritual life…

Daily Blessing: Saturday greetings and blessings to all! I hope your day is starting off well and that you will have a nice relaxing weekend. Our morning here in Pelham is starting off sunny and cloudy and they say it is going to be another hot and humid day. I hope your weather is a little more life giving. May you encounter a day that is both energizing and relaxing!

My prayer of blessing today is that you will have a wonderful Saturday and encounter many blessings and much peace today. My prayer for all of you is that you may be graced by God in whatever you do and may you bring God’s grace to whomever you meet! Work, pray, travel, study, laugh, cry, talk, be silent, be intense or relaxed today rich in the blessing and presence of God. Peace in Christ’s Passion…Fr. Paul

Daily Thoughts - 09/09/2016

Daily Thoughts: “No one can grow if he [or she] does not accept his [or her] smallness.” (Pope Francis) With this thought Pope Francis seems to get at the heart of what Jesus is saying in the Gospel today. If we don’t deal with our own faults and failings, if we cannot see our own humanness how are we ever going to be able to grow into the person God has created us to be and help others.

We cannot just look at others faults and failings we need to start with our own. If we do we will have a better, more compassionate understanding and view of the world. We will truly be able to help not hurt others. The starting point for looking at and dealing with the problems, struggles and sinfulness of the world is always ourselves. When we can proclaim our faults, failings and our need for help, our need for forgiveness we are on our way to being able to help and forgive others.

St. Augustine perhaps put the focus of our Gospel today a little differently when he said, “God is always trying to give good things to us, but our hands are too full to receive them.” So let’s put down what fills up our hands in this world, anger, resentment, the faults and failings of others and receive the grace that God offers us and live in the joy and love of God today!

Have a blessed Friday everyone.

Daily Prayer: God of life, there are days when the burdens we carry chafe our shoulders and wear us 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 your light, we pray; turn our eyes to where the skies are full of promise and where music fills our life. Amen (Adapted from a prayer by St. Augustine of Hippo)

A Runner’s Thoughts: My effort in the race didn’t result in a record or an award. It didn’t feel good. But it gave me the chance to feel good about myself. (Jonathan Beverly)

Daily Blessing: Friday greetings and blessings to all! I hope your day has started off well. It is a bit cloudy here in Pelham and there might be some rain in the forecast for later in the day. It was a warm and muggy night and I expect it will be a hot and humid day.

There is much going on today as we make out way to our first taping day in our new place next Friday. The painting was finishing up yesterday and the new sanctuary carpet goes in today. We are still waiting on the new altar and a few other things but progress is being made however most of my nights are still sleepless!

I hope you will have a great Friday and that you encounter many blessings today and much peace. My prayer for all of you today is that you may be graced by God in whatever you do and may you will bring God’s grace to whomever you meet! Work, pray, travel, study, laugh, cry, talk, be silent, be intense or relaxed today rich in the blessing and presence of God. Peace in Christ’s Passion…Fr. Paul

Daily Thoughts - 09/08/2016

Daily Thoughts: As we celebrate the feast of the Nativity of Mary we are reminded in the Gospel (Matthew 1: 1-16, 18-23), that Mary, Joseph and Jesus are part of the great human family. A human family made up of saints and sinners and everything in between. It might seem tedious to read the long list of names at the beginning of the Gospel many of whom we know nothing about. As I began my ministry many years ago I would get so nervous when the genealogy of Matthew or Luke would appear as the Gospel. However, over the years I have become comfortable with them and now I even look forward to proclaiming either genealogy. I guess I have grown familiar with the cast of characters and what they remind me of concerning my faith.

Isn’t that what life is about – remembering the stories of life, honoring those stories and growing accustom to life. Seeing people and things differently, telling the stories that remind us who we are and from where we have come. Remembering the characters good and bad that have made up our lives and molded us into the people we are today. Today we remember Mary’s birth into this world. We remember Joseph’s “yes” to God that kept the story going. We remember two faith filled people who celebrated and honored the gift of family and made it possible for all of us to be people of faith today.

When we read or hear the genealogy of Christ whether from Matthew or Luke we are reminded that even though Jesus is God, he is also human, also part of this great human family and the characters, the women and men, who believed, who struggled, said yes and sometimes no, who embraced a relationship with God and sometimes didn’t, who lived life making it possible for Jesus to come into this world to embrace us with his love.

Here’s to the characters in all of our lives. Here’s to the characters of the human family. Here’s to Mary as we remember her birthday. Here’s to Joseph and Mary the central characters of our story today who said “yes” that we might celebrate Jesus the Christ!

Have a great Thursday everyone!

Daily Prayer: O Mary, when you were born the world was made light. In your great love be merciful to us who are often sinners, and give us strength and perseverance as we journey through this life. O joyous Mary, just as your nativity announced joy to the entire world, may it fill us with true joy and enliven our hope. Intercede for us, O loving Mary that the gift of your nativity may enliven God’s grace within us and help to say yes to his invitation to love. Amen. (Adapted from a prayer by St. Ambrose of Milan)

A Runner’s Thoughts: “Running taught me valuable lessons. In cross-country competition, training counted more than intrinsic ability, and I could compensate for a lack of natural aptitude with diligence and discipline. I applied this in everything I did.” (Nelson Mandela)

Daily Blessing: Thursday greetings and blessings to all. I hope your day which probably feels like a Wednesday has started off well. It looks to be a beautiful day here in Pelham however I think it is going to be hot and the humidity has certainly returned. I guess it is just a reminder that summer is still with us!

Last night I was reminded that it was just a year ago, September 5^th that my good friend and Passionist brother Fr. Michael Greene, C.P. lost his brother Dennis to cancer. Dennis was Fr. Michael’s older brother, who during the 1960’s was a member of the singing group Sha Na Na. Dennis was a wonderful man who had a great command of the English language. He was a law professor at the University of Dayton when he died. His battle with esophageal cancer was a short one as he was only diagnosed a few weeks before his death. I would like to remember Dennis and Fr. Michael today. Mr. Dennis Greene touched many lives with his music, his intelligence, his kindness, his humor and his faith. He is truly missed. May he now rest in the loving hands of God! – Peace to you Fr. Michael.

I pray that God’s blessings will be upon you today and always. May God’s blessing be with you wherever you are and upon whatever you are doing. May God bless you with the grace, peace, joy and love you need to live this day and in living this day may you bring God’s presence to all you meet! Peace in Christ’s Passion…Fr. Paul

Daily Thoughts - 09/07/2016

Daily Thoughts: In Luke’s Gospel today we experience several of the Beatitudes and we are encouraged to feel the “blessings” that come with our poverty and reliance on God.  If we feel content and complete with all our earthly wealth and success how can we improve our dependence and reliance on God?   How does one strengthen and enrich a relationship if there is no need for the other person in our life?  If one is so independent, as to not need another person’s help, council, ideas, or support, how does a non-relationship with another enrich us?

Our Gospel today is suggesting that, if we “hunger” or “weep,” it implies a need for others and a need for God, in order to experience a fulfilling life, to give us direction and to lead us to appreciate our need for others and our need for God.  When we experience poverty, sorrow, hunger or insults, and find that we can overcome these struggles in life, through our dependence on God, we then will find true joy, appreciation and satisfaction in life.

Have a great Wednesday everyone!

Daily Prayer: Lord, our God, we are in the shadow of your wings. Protect us and bear us up. You will care for us as if we were little children, even to our old age. When you are our strength, we are strong; but when we are own strength, we are weak. Our good always lives in your presence, and we suffer when we turn our faces away from you. We now return to you, O Lord, that we may never turn away again. Amen (Prayer by St. Augustine of Hippo)

A Runner’s Thoughts: “We run and we feel better, more optimistic and grateful for our bodies, for our lives, our people, our health, and our work. It’s so important we remind each other and teach our girls the beauty of our bodies is in what our bodies can do, not what they look like doing it.” (Kristin Armstrong)

Daily Blessing: Wednesday greetings and blessings to all. I hope this finds you enjoying your morning and excited about a new day. It looks to be a nice day here in Pelham. We had a little rain during the night but it is sun and clouds this morning. I hope where you are it is a nice beginning to the day.

My prayer of blessing for all of us today is that God will bless us with some time to pause and take into account our blessings, our gifts. The hopelessness of violence, anger and negativity seem to be all around us but as I have often learned if I pause and take some time away from the busyness of life I many times encounter God’s gifts in very real and wonderful ways. God’s presence is all around us, we just have to not let the noise of the world distract us from God. May God bless us with the gift of his presence today in some small way so that we know we are loved and not alone!

Have a great Wednesday everyone and please know as always you are in my prayers! Peace in Christ’s Passion…Fr. Paul

Daily Thoughts - 09/06/2016

Daily Thoughts: “Prayer is not asking. Prayer is putting oneself in the hands of God, at His disposition, and listening to His voice in the depth of our hearts.” (Mother Teresa)

Jesus spends the night in prayer. Jesus places himself in the Father’s hands, at the Father’s disposition and listens to the Father’s voice in the depth of his own heart and look at what happens. Twelve close friends are gathered and people from everywhere are healed!

In the Gospel today (Luke 6:12-19) Jesus shows us the power of prayer. It is not just a prayer of asking for help, though I am sure Jesus asked the Father for help from time to time. For Jesus and for us prayer is the placing of oneself in the hands of God. Yes, prayer is a conversation with God but prayer is often more listening then speaking.

Jesus prayed often and not only when he faced major events in life. Jesus throughout the Gospel takes time for prayer. He takes time to hear the Father’s voice in his heart so that graced things could happen on his journey through life.

So today let’s not forget that prayer needs to be a part of our lives. Let’s take at least a little time to put ourselves in God’s loving hands and hear God’s voice in our hearts. Let’s put ourselves at the disposal of God. The outcome for us just might be more good friends and healing for life’s struggles! Remember nothing is impossible with God.

“Prayer is not asking for what you think you want, but asking to be changed in ways you can't imagine.” (Kathleen Norris)

Have a great Tuesday everyone.

Daily Prayer:

Circle us, O God.
Keep protection near and danger afar.

Circle us, O God.

Keep hope within and keep doubt without.

Circle us, O God.

Keep light near and darkness afar.

Circle us, O God.

Keep peace within and keep evil out.

Please, circle us, O God.

Keep our hearts in your loving hands and let us hear your voice!
Amen. (Adapted from a prayer by David Adam)

Runner’s Thought: “Running, much like life, [faith and the spiritual life], has its hills and valleys. On any given run, and particularly in most marathons, we come across easy stretches and seemingly impossible challenges. I have learned to just keep going. The tough moments never last, and the easy stretches are always a joy. The same is clearly true in life [in faith and the spiritual life], if we just keep going we'll get to that finish line with water, massages, and bananas! [And friendship with God!] (Main part of quote by Will Starr, Runner's World Challenger of the Week – I add what is in the brackets)

Daily Blessings: Tuesday greetings and blessings to all! I hope your day has started off well. I hope your holiday weekend was relaxing and refreshing. It is a cloudy morning here in Pelham and the wind has been strong since last night. I guess we are finally getting some of the effects of Hurricane Hermine. I hope the weather by you today is energizing and motivating!

I put a lot of time in over the weekend running actually I averaged over 10 miles a day from Friday to Monday. Speaking of running please make sure to check out my Runner’s Thought for today I think it has a lot to say about the living of life.

I hope you will have a great Tuesday and encounter many blessings today and much peace. May you be graced and blessed by God in whatever you do and may you bring God’s grace and blessing to whomever you meet! Peace in Christ’s Passion…Fr. Paul

Daily Thoughts - 09/05/2016

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

Daily Thoughts - 09/04/2016

Daily Thoughts: Our Gospel reading today is the conclusion to a major section of Luke’s presentation of Jesus’ teachings about who belongs in the Kingdom or perhaps in the words of our Gospel, the wedding feast of heaven. Just before our Gospel today Jesus tells a parable about wedding feast. Most of the people invited do not come, so the doors were opened to the outcasts, the physically challenged and the poor. When Jesus finishes the story someone at table said that the ones who eat at the heavenly banquet will certainly be blest. What we hear in today Gospel is Jesus’ reply.

It is a challenging reply because Jesus’ very first statement seems to call us to hate the very people we love. We are to “hate” our father, mother, wife, children, brothers and sisters, even our very self or we cannot be a disciple. And if this is not enough if we truly want to be a disciple must carry our own crosses. With condition such as these my questions is “Why be a disciple?”

Jesus then offers us two short parables to finish off the discussion. If you are going to build a tower, you’d better have enough materials to finish or else. If you are going to wage war then you’d better have enough soldiers to win, or else. Luke finishes this chapter with two verses that are not included in today Gospel. Jesus talks about salt losing its flavor and when it does it gets thrown out. He ends by reminding all who have ears better be listening.

Hating those we love and carrying our crosses are not really attractive qualities to strive for from my perspective. Does Jesus really say to “hate?” It seems so. “Hating” is the exact Greek word Luke uses. Throughout the Gospels Jesus puts a lot of emphasis on loving and being loved. Next Sunday’s Gospel will relate a great story about family love. So why the focus on “hating” today?

The Kingdom, the Banquet, the discipleship that we are invited to by Jesus is the wisdom that we hear about in our first reading today from the Book of Wisdom. All relationships of love are gifts from God and they are not meant to make gods out of those whom we love. How are we ever going to build our relationship with Jesus by loving God above all other relationships and also carrying crosses? It is the “puzzlement” question; and the answer is “wisdom”.

How are we going to build a tower successfully or be on the victorious side of a battle or war when we feel insufficient? The challenge Jesus puts before us today is to trust in the generosity and mercy of God. The challenge is to not lose our flavor, our purpose, our meaning and to listen, hear and have faith in our relationship with God. Our crosses are many but Jesus is there to carry them with us. Our family relationships are important and life giving but only when God sits at the center of them. In facing the at times, overwhelming challenges, the struggles, the crosses of life we need to ask ourselves; do we have enough, do enough, and pray enough, so as to win!

Following Jesus is not measurable. Each of us is given our own flavor, our own wisdom which allows us to keep our ears and hearts open to God’s invitation. None of us can love well enough. We can never do enough, feel enough, forgive enough, but as disciple we keep living and loving as best we can and that keeps us from losing our flavor. We cannot be perfect in following Jesus, but we cannot give up on life either, just because we are not doing it well enough. Being generous is the gift of Wisdom which helps us to build a right relationship with God, win the battles of life, and carry our crosses out of love.

Have a blessed Sunday everyone!

Daily Prayer: “Life is an opportunity, benefit from it. Life is beauty, admire it. Life is a dream, realize it. Life is a challenge, meet it. Life is a duty, complete it. Life is a game, play it. Life is a promise, fulfill it. Life is sorrow, overcome it. Life is a song, sing it. Life is a struggle, accept it. Life is a tragedy, confront it. Life is an adventure, dare it. Life is luck, make it. Life is too precious, do not destroy it. Life is life, fight for it.” (Prayer by St. Teresa of Kolkata)

A Runner’s Thoughts: “A lot of people say they love running because of how they feel afterward. Not me. Well, I love that, too, but it's also so much fun while I'm out there.” (Dick Beardsley) So to in the spiritual life…

Daily Blessing: Sunday blessings and greetings to all. I hope your last Sunday of the summer season has started off well and that you are enjoying a beautiful day wherever you are. The sun is out here in Pelham, there is a nice breeze I think it is going to be a beautiful day though they continue to say a storm is coming.

If you got up at 4:30 am to watch the canonization of St. Teresa of Kolkata I hope is was an inspiring experience for you and that you will get a little rest at some point during the day. I will head out about 11:00 am for the noon mass at St. John and St. Mary’s Parish in Chappaqua. I truly enjoy my opportunities to celebrate with a community on Sundays there is something very life giving for me to lead a community in prayer and the sacramental life. I hope you will be giving God a little time today?

Whatever you are doing this Labor Day weekend, relaxing, watching football, working, traveling, vacationing or just being I pray that God’s blessing will be upon your Sunday filling it with the richness of joy, hope and the goodness of God’s presence. May you be strong and fear not today because your God is here! Peace in Christ’s Passion…Fr. Paul