Daily Thoughts - 09/23/2015

Daily Thoughts: Dependency is not a word we often see as positive. In our world and certainly in our country there is a pride taken in being independent. We are rugged individualist; we can do it on our own. We don’t need anyone else. Being dependent on others means weakness. We pride ourselves on being able to do things on our own. Yet as the Gospel unfolds today Jesus instructs his friends to be dependent.

They are to be dependent on the people they visit. They are to take nothing for their journey and rely on the hospitality of the places they visit and people they meet, and most importantly they are to depend on God. They are to depend on God for the authority and power to heal, cast out demons and proclaim the Kingdom of God. They are to depend on God to see them through their journey.

Often dependency doesn’t feel good to us. Relying on others seems risky. There are too many things that can go wrong if we depend on others however that is what Jesus asks of us, we are to depend on God and each other. If we do we have to opportunity to cure, heal, to have power over evil and proclaim the Kingdom. If we do we have the opportunity to be part of the Body of Christ!

Let us trust in God’s presence today and continue to live this journey of life proclaiming the Good News. Have a great Wednesday everyone!

Daily Prayer:

Loving God,

Let nothing disturb us today,

Let nothing frighten us today,

Let nothing hold us back today,

Help us to know that all things are passing away:

But that God never changes,

And that patience obtains all things.

Help us to trust that whoever has God lacks nothing;

Because God alone suffices.

May we live, work, laugh, cry, play and be in God today. Amen

(Adapted from Teresa of Ávila)

A Runner’s Thoughts: “Success rests in having the courage and endurance and, above all, the will to become the person you are, however peculiar that may be.”

(George Sheehan) So to in the Spiritual life but we need to substitute the word, “faith” for the word “success!”

Daily Blessing: Wednesday greetings and blessings to everyone! I hope your Wednesday has started off well. It looks to be a beautiful day here in Tarrytown. I am lucky to be able to see a little of the Great Hudson River from my room and it has brought back fond memories of my time in Riverdale along the Great River.

We enter the third full day of retreat today and I once again ask you to keep the sisters in your prayers. I think the retreat is going well. It is hard to know when the retreatants are keeping silence. If you could offer a little prayer for the preacher it would be greatly appreciated.  Let us also keep Pope Francis in our prayers as he begins his busy schedule in the United States. May he be safe in his travels and may he continue to enliven us with his spirit!

A special shout out to my grandniece Emilia as she celebrates her ninth birthday today. Happy Birthday Emilia! Many blessings today and always. Have a wonderful day.

My prayer for all of you today is that God will bless this midpoint in the work week with a day filled with his presence, grace, energy, patience, joy and love. May your day be truly rich in the gifts of faith, hope, joy and love which you will bring to everyone you meet by the way you live your life today! Peace in Christ’s Passion…Fr. Paul

Daily Thoughts - 09/22/2015

Daily Thoughts: “My mother and my brothers [and my sisters] are those who hear the word of God and act on it [live it].” (Luke 8:21) I added the word live to Jesus’ words today because I truly believe that is what he means.

The picture that the Gospel (Luke 8:19-21) paints today often creates concern and questions. Why would Jesus treat his family this way? Why would Jesus treat his mother this way? Isn’t family first? However if we think about today’s Gospel in these terms we are missing the point. Jesus loved his mother greatly. Jesus was a good member of the family. But in the Gospel today Jesus shows all the boundless amounts of God’s love. We are all mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers in Christ. There are no exclusive places, no special privileges.

Today’s Gospel is a Gospel of hope. We are reminded of God’s great, unconditional love. Today’s Gospel gives us great comfort in knowing that God awaits all of us, accepts all of us. We can all be part of the family; we are called to be part of the body of Christ. All it takes is hearing the word of God and living it!

That is what Jesus is calling those gathered around him today to, that is what Jesus is calling us to. Do you hear the voice of Pope Francis in the Gospel today?

Have a great Tuesday everyone.

Daily Prayer:

Loving God, we pause for a moment and ask you hear and accept our prayers of praise for you today…

Be praised, loving God, through all your creatures, especially through my Brother Sun, who brings the day; and you give light through him. And Brother Sun is beautiful and radiant in all his splendor! Of you, Most High, he bears the likeness.

Be praised, loving God, through Sister Moon and the stars; in the heavens you have made them, precious and beautiful.

Be praised, loving God, through Brothers Wind and Air, and clouds and storms, and all the weather, through which you give your creatures sustenance.

Be praised, loving God, through Sister Water; she is very useful, and humble, and precious, and pure.

Be praised, loving God, through Brother Fire, through whom you brighten the night. He is beautiful and cheerful, and powerful and strong.

Be praised, loving God, through our sister Mother Earth, who feeds us and rules us, and produces various fruits with colored flowers and herbs.

Be praised, loving God, through those who forgive for love of you; through those who endure sickness and trial. Happy those who endure in peace, for they will be crowned; happy are we today for in hearing your word you call us all to be sisters and brothers in you. Amen! (Adapted from a prayer by St. Francis of Assisi)

A Runner’s Thoughts: “To me, there is no greater way to achieve clarity than to run alone, or share miles with a trusted friend. Epiphany comes as we sweat it out, or if epiphany is out of reach — then peace.” (Kristin Armstrong, "Bless Your Heart," Mile Markers column, RunnersWorld.com)

What a wonderful reflection about running and the spiritual life. We need solitude and community as people of faith. We need that time alone with God and we need that time with God in the midst of community, family and friends.

The definition for epiphany is: 1. a revelatory manifestation of a divine being; 2. a sudden manifestation of the essence or meaning of something; 3. a comprehension or perception of reality by means of a sudden intuitive realization.

In the spiritual life, like in running, our epiphanies come when we sweat it out, when we struggle and discover who we are and what we are made of. Even when the light doesn’t seem to go on when God seems out of reach, yet we believe that God is with us so there is peace.

Daily Blessing: Happy Tuesday everyone! I hope your day has started off well, if not hang in there I pray that it will get better. It looks to be a cloudy day here in Tarrytown. I am not sure whether these are all day clouds or just morning clouds. Perhaps we are in for a little rain today but I am not sure. This is the last full day of summer but I have to say fall is certainly in the air. I hope your weather will enable you to enjoy your day in some way.

We are into our second full day of retreat here at Marymount Convent. I would ask your continued prayers for the sisters on retreat and if you could say a little extra prayer for their preacher it would be greatly appreciated. Let us also continue to pray for Pope Francis as he finishes his visit to Cuba and comes to the United States. May he continue to have safe travels and may we truly be touched by his spirit!

I pray for God’s blessings upon all of you today. May today be rich in the gift of family, friendship and peace. May you find the road today flat, smooth and easy to travel. May you find the gift and grace of God in everyone you meet and in everything you do. Most importantly may you find the gift of God within you as you live your life today! Peace in Christ’s Passion…Fr. Paul

Daily Thoughts - 09/21/2015

Daily Thoughts: I pass along this reflection that I read this morning on the Feast of St. Matthew –

“The call of Matthew, the tax collector, is told in one single verse. The brevity raises many questions and invites speculation. Had Matthew met Jesus, or at least had he heard of him before the encounter? When he got up from his customs post, what did people think? How did the other disciples receive Matthew into the group? We marvel that Matthew could walk away from his familiar way of life so readily and completely. But we must remember: Matthew was not merely walking away from something, he was walking toward someone – Jesus! What have [we] left behind by following Jesus? Jesus many called Matthew a traitor, but you called him a disciple. Help [us] to see the good in someone [we are] struggling with right now.” (Sr. Melannie Svoboda, SND – Living with Christ – September 21, 2015)

Have a great Monday everyone!

Daily Prayer: Grant us, O God, a mind to know you, a heart to seek you, wisdom to find you, conduct pleasing to you, faithful perseverance in waiting for you, and a hope of finally embracing you. Amen.”  (Adapted from a prayer by St. Thomas Aquinas)

A Runner’s Thoughts: “As every runner knows, running is about more than just putting one foot in front of the other; it is about our lifestyle and who we are.” (Joan Benoit Samuelson) And everybody knows, praying is about more than just saying words; it is about our relationship with God, it is about our friendship with God. So let put our friendship with God into who we are today. Let’s pray as we run!

Daily Blessing: Monday greetings and blessings to everyone! I hope you had an enjoyable weekend and that you got a little rest and relaxation.

As for me, yesterday after finishing the retreat in Sag Harbor, NY I made my way to Tarrytown, NY and open a new retreat with the sisters of the Sacred Heart of Mary. We began yesterday before dinner and in a few moments I will share with them today first reflection. It looks to be beautiful day here in Tarrytown. The sisters are hope for a nice week of weather so that their retreat can be a little more enjoyable. Please remember the sisters in your prayers today as they enter into their Monday journey of retreat and if you could say an extra prayer for their preacher it would be greatly appreciated.

Let us also keep Pope Francis in our prayers as he continue his time in Cuba and prepares to visit us here in the United States. May his journeys be safe and may the riches of his spirit and presence gift us all!

I hope your day has started off well. May you Monday be blessed with the richness of God's presence. May God touch you with his grace of faith, hope, love and joy today. May your day be blessed with the gift of faith filled people, wonderful experiences, safe travel and a productive day! Peace in Christ's Passion...Fr. Paul