Pentecost Sunday - 06/08/2014

Daily Thoughts: “Different gifts but the same Spirit!” It is hard sometimes to trust in the gifts that we have. We always seem to look across the fence at the other side and think it looks better. We tend to see what other people do and think, “If only I could be like Mike!”

The key to overcoming our struggle with the Spirit is remember, that every gift comes from the same Spirit. In other words we all have a common origin, we all are gifted. The challenge is not, are we the best, the brightest, the most powerful, the most important, the most well-known, the strongest, the most gifted. The challenge is how do we give life to the gifts we have? How do we speak and act so that when others hear and encounter us they come to know the might acts of God?

St. Paul was very creative when he used the image of the body to represent our relationship with God, our relationship with Jesus. It is one body with all of us as members, as parts. All of us are necessary for the body to work, to function, to have life, with each member, each part valuable and important. Some members, some parts may stand out more than others, but it is the sum of the parts working together take makes the body visible, strong and life giving to others.

Yes, today we celebrate the gift of the Holy Spirit in our lives. We celebrate being one of the many gifts of the Spirit. We celebrate being a part of Christ’s body. We celebrate being a member and hopefully like the disciples on the first Pentecost we give life to the gifts of the Holy Spirit that we have received so that all will hear through us in a language they understand the mighty acts of God.

My friends, peace be with you today and always and receive the Holy Spirit, letting the Spirit fill your hearts and bring to life the fire of God’s love within you! May you make a joyful noise through the gifts of the Holy Spirit today!

Daily Prayer: Breathe in us, O Holy Spirit, that our thoughts, our ideas, our words, may all be holy. Act in us, O Holy Spirit, that our works, our labors, our actions, our living of life too, may be holy. Embrace our hearts, O Holy Spirit, that we may love and be love in a holy way. Strengthen us, O Holy Spirit, that our lives may represent all that is life giving and holy. Protect us, O Holy Spirit, that we always may be your gifts of hope and life in this world. Amen! (Adapted for a Prayer to the Holy Spirit by Saint Augustine)

A Runner’s Thoughts: Running is about the physical, the mental and the emotional sides of our lives. It challenges us in physical, mental and emotional ways. Will our bodies respond, will they hold up, will they take get us back home or to the finish line? Will our minds let us move beyond the pain and the struggle? Can we overcome the fear? Will we give in to what seems easier? Yes, running is about the physical, the mental and the emotional sides of our lives, however running is also about the spiritual. It is about breathing in the breath of God, the Holy Spirit. Running is about giving life to the gift of who God has created us to be!

Daily Blessing: Happy Pentecost everyone! I hope you are having a good if not great Sunday. May God bless you with an enjoyable day especially among family and or friends. Through God’s Spirit may this day offer you some rest and relaxation so that you might enjoy the gifts of the Holy Spirit within and around you!

I will leave you today with this thought from Thomas Merton, “Love is the guarantee that the life of the Spirit is growing in us. Love is the sign of the Holy Spirit at work in the Church and in the world.” So love much today my friends! Peace in Christ’s Passion and Joy in the Gifts of the Holy Spirit…Fr. Paul

Daily Thoughts - 06/07/2014

Daily Thoughts: “Joy is the infallible sign of the presence of God.” (Fr. Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, SJ) – So make a joyful noise with your life today and bring God’s presence to everyone you meet!

Daily Prayer: O, God, to know you is life. To serve you is freedom. To praise you is the soul's joy and delight. Guard us with the power of your grace here and in all places. Now and at all times, forever. Amen. (Adapted from a prayer by St. Augustine of Hippo)

A Runner’s Thoughts: “Run when you can, walk if you have to, crawl if you must; just never give up.” (Dean Karnazes)

Daily Blessing: Saturday blessings everyone! Today is a travel day for me. I am headed back to Pelham, NY. I will get there around 9:00 pm tonight. My journey will be back through Dallas. I hope your Saturday has begun well and that you are enjoying the beauty of God's creation wherever you are. My prayer of blessing is that this will be a day blessed in God's presence, grace and love. That it will be a day bless with wonderful experiences, safe travel, if you are traveling, and the rest and relaxation that will help you to enjoy the gift of your life! Peace in Christ's Passion and Joy in the Risen Lord...Fr. Paul

Daily Thoughts - 06/06/2014

Daily Thoughts: As I was reflecting on the readings this morning getting ready for the closing mass of the retreat two thoughts came to mind.

The first was a quote that I have always liked from Fr. Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, SJ. – “Someday, after mastering the winds, the waves, the tides and gravity, we shall harness for God the energies of love, and then, for a second time in the history of the world, man will have discovered fire.”

And the second is a prayer written by St. Ignatius of Loyola, SJ. – “Take Lord, receive all my liberty, my memory, my understanding, and my entire will, all that I have and possess. You have given all to me. To you, O Lord, I return it. All is yours, dispose of it wholly according to your will. Give me only your love and your grace, for this is enough for me.”

Perhaps this is my Jesuit day with these two quotes but in reading the Gospel this morning these words of two great Jesuits came to mind. In the Gospel Jesus asks Peter three times, “Do you love me?” and three times Peter says, “Yes!” Our relationship, our friendship with God centers on love, God’s love for us and our love for God.

This exchange between Jesus and Peter along the shore of the Sea of Galilee after the Resurrection puts an exclamation point of their relationship and sends Peter out into the world to discover the energies of love, to discover fire once again all in the service of God!

Love is only realized, only understood in terms of action. How we live it out determines it power and presence. If Peter loves Jesus then he must live that love out, he must share it with the people of God and so must we!

Have a great day everyone and don’t forget to make a joyful noise as you share your love for God today with others!

Daily Prayer:

Take, Lord, receive all our liberty

Our memory, understanding, Our entire will.

Give us only your love and your grace, that's enough for us

Your love and your grace are enough for us.

Take, Lord, receive all we have and possess.

You have given all to us, now we return it.

Take, Lord, receive, all is yours now

Dispose of it wholly according to your will.

(Adapted from the song Take Lord Receive by Fr. John Foley, SJ)

A Runner’s Thoughts: Remember running is not just conquering, hills, distance, weight, injury, illness or pain. Running is most often conquering ourselves. We can try to do it alone but it is so much easier when we let others journey with us and we are always at our best when we run with God!

Daily Blessing: TGIF everyone! I hope your day is starting out well. The retreat here in San Angelo, TX is coming to an end this morning. It has been a good week but a long one for me. Eleven talks and four homilies is a workout! I don’t think I have another thought left in my brain. But that is the life of an itinerant preacher and I will find another thought to share with those gathered for the retreat as we celebrate the closing mass in a couple of hours.

Again I ask you to keep these good men in your prayers as they return to their parishes hopefully nourished and enlivened with the Spirit of God’s love. If you could also say a little prayer for me that I will catch the Spirit of God’s love myself and give it life on this last morning of retreat. I will be traveling back to New York tomorrow!

May God bless all of you this day with the Spirit of Love and through your work, your travels and your interaction with others may Jesus truly know that “Yes, you do love him!” Blessings on your Friday and may it lead to a restful and peaceful weekend. Peace in Christ’s Passion and Joy in the Risen Lord…Fr. Paul

Daily Thoughts - 06/05/2014

Daily Thoughts: “Lifting up his eyes to heaven, Jesus prayed saying: ‘I pray not only for these, but also for those who will believe in me through their words….’” There is comfort for us in today’s Gospel (John 17:20-26). While we still find ourselves listening to Jesus talk about his and our relationship with the Father as we have been for most of the Easter Season, today Jesus let us know that his prayer is not only for his disciples but for us, those who believe because we have heard.

Jesus looks ahead with his prayer today, ahead to all those who will come after him and somehow, in some way, come to believe. Jesus prays for people like you and me who have listened to the words of parents, relatives, teachers, preachers and come to know and believe in Jesus.

St. Paul in the first reading (Acts 22:30; 23:611) is an example of the power of Jesus’ prayer. Paul knows human nature and he used it to his advantage today so that he can continue to proclaim the Good News. St. Paul is a witness to the presence of God in the world and because of his witness we to have a chance to believe.

As we journey through this day let us be thankful for Jesus’ prayer that we too might be included in God’s love if we have the courage to believe in the Good News that we hear!

Have a wonderful Thursday everyone and don’t forget to make a joyful noise with your life today!

Daily Prayer:

God be in our head and in our understanding today.

God be in our eyes, and in our seeing today.

God be in our mouth and in our speaking today.

God be in our feet and in our traveling today.

God be in our hands and in our embracing today.

God be in our ears and in our listening today.

God be in our soul and in our believing today.

God be in our hearts and in our loving today.

God be in us and everything we do today. Amen!

                                    (Adapted from a Celtic Prayer)

A Runner’s Thoughts: If we chose to be a spiritual runner we can learn three things about ourselves.  We can learn how to keep moving forward through whatever life throws at us. We can learn who we truly are, our best self. We can learn that we are never alone and always love because we have God running with us!

Daily Blessing: Happy Thursday everyone! I trust your day has started off well. If not please know you are in my prayers and I will say a special prayer after finishing this post that your day will get better.

We are waiting on a day that may reach 100 here in San Angelo. The sun is making its way into the morning sky and at this moment it is a very pleasant day. We are beginning our four day of retreat. Spirit seem good and I have received a few complements about the retreat and my preaching which help to keep me going as I enter another day in which I will give three talks and a homily. Please continue to prayer for the bishop and priests of the diocese of Lubbock, TX as they journey on retreat with me and if you get a chance a little prayer for the preacher will be greatly appreciated!

Have a great Thursday everyone and blessings upon your work, your rest, your interaction with others, your loved ones and you! May God truly be with you, around you and within you today and always! Peace in Christ’s Passion and Joy in the Risen Lord…Fr. Paul

Daily Thoughts - 06/04/2014

Daily Thoughts:  I have to say that I will be glad when Sunday comes and goes and we are no longer in the Easter Season. I say this not out of disrespect or because I don’t like the Easter Season, I love it but by this point we have heard the Gospel of John especially chapters 14-17 so much that it is a little hard to focus. Throughout these chapters John goes round and round about Jesus’ relationship with the Father and our relationship with him and the Father. Sometimes I just want to say, “Ok, I get it!” I also think John may have been reincarnated in the people who wrote and translated the Roman Missal. If it is not John then it must be somebody who studied under him or a distant relative of him.

However, with my frustrations stated I was thinking very early this morning as I spent time in prayer preparing for mass today that perhaps these chapters in John are really the words of a person in love.

In my teenage and young adult years there were a few times when I was in love. Obviously they didn’t work out but I can still remember the women and how I felt. I can also remember that it was hard to explain my feelings to myself and others. It was hard to talk about my feelings; the words would get all jumbled up. I would repeat them over and over again until I am sure my friends were tired of listening to me. When I would speak about my feelings to the one I loved or tried to explain them to my friends often I didn’t seem to be making much sense.

Perhaps that is my struggle with the words of Jesus in John that we have been listening to throughout the Easter Season. Yes, they are Jesus’ words, but it is John who is trying to communicate them to us. It is John in the writing of the Gospel who is now the person in love. He is a man in love with the Father, a man in love with Jesus, a man in love with us.  Both Jesus and John are trying to explain this love. Jesus to his disciples and John is trying to explain this love to us but in both cases words don’t always come out that clear. They explain this love over and over again, hoping we will understand and hoping that we too will fall in love!

Have a great day everyone and don’t forget to make a joyful noise with your life today!

Daily Prayer: O God, strengthen us with the power to fall in love through the gift of your Spirit in our inner most being. Fill our hearts with your presence and please do not leave us. Help us to grasp how wide and long and high and deep your love is for us. And, above all, enable us to know this love that surpasses all understanding and knowledge so that we may share it with others this day and always. Amen!

A Runners’ Thoughts: Remember running can be a sacred act, sacred time. Sacred is a Latin word sacraficium, meaning to cut up, or sacrifice. If we want our run to be spiritual we need to sacrifice time, energy and comfort. It requires that we face life head on, live wholly in the present, taking on joy and suffering, savoring each emotion, every experience while offering it all to God. (Adapted from Roger Joslin)

Daily Blessing: Wednesday, “Hump Day” greetings and blessings to all! Also Happy National Running Day! If you are so inclined get out a put in a mile or two today!

We continue our retreat here in San Angelo. It seems to be going well As I have the last two days I would ask you to keep the bishop and priests of the Lubbock, TX diocese in your prayers as they journey with me on retreat. And if you get a chance to add a second prayer for the preacher, believe me I could use it!

On a sad note, I received word this morning that Fr. Fidelis Connolly, C.P. died this morning. “Old Fid” as we use to call him was the director of students for many years and he touched the lives of many of us in a very loving and faith filled way as we made our way through formation. He always had a smile on his face and a twinkle in his eye. Fr. Fidelis will be greatly missed but he is at peace and offering his wisdom to God now! Please remember Fr. Fidelis and all Passionists in your prayers today and we mourn his loss.

My prayer for all of you this morning is that God will bless you day with energy, enthusiasm, purpose, meaning, grace and much love! Be well and safe in your journeys today and may you be blessed with many encounters of the presence of God. Peace in Christ’s Passion and Joy in the Risen Lord…Fr. Paul