This afternoon as I sit at home waiting for my bathroom renovation to be completed it has given me a little more time than usual just to sit and ponder life and there is certainly a lot to ponder these days - Coronavirus, George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, the weather, whether to open or not and so on, and so on. However, my thoughts this afternoon have continually returned to a reflection on the daily scriptures that I read early in the morning yesterday. I will not offer the whole reflection just the part that caught my attention...
"Satan is the great divider. Have you ever noticed that when people start getting closer to the truth, maybe when you yourself have edged precariously close to some breakthrough in your own life, out of the blue comes a road block or figurative explosion that threatens to derail everything? The devil loves to sow doubt and division, especially among those striving daily to do God's work. So often people of great faith---deeply committed to their beliefs and their efforts to make the world a better place---end up at each other's throats over differences in opinion. That is not God's work, you can be sure." (From Easter to Pentecost Rejoice and Be Glad 2020 by Mary DeTurris Poust) Now I am not someone who focusses on the Devil very often in my life. I know there is evil. I have read about it and seen it but it is not the primary focus on my spiritual life. My preaching is certainly not "fire and brimstone," but I cannot help but look around at our world, our nation, our cities, our families and our faith communities and see Satan, the great divider at work. What is most disconcerting is that as women and men of faith most of us don't see it and sometimes we champion his presence in the name of faith. Perhaps as we approach the great feast of Pentecost we might pause and ask the Holy Spirit to open our eyes, our ears and most importantly our hearts to the work of God, to the presence of God all around us! Friends in faith, have a wonderful weekend and a blessed, holy and joyous Feast of Pentecost whether you can get to your local church or not and may the Passion of Jesus Christ be always in your heart! Peace in Christ's Passion and joy in the Holy Spirit...Fr. Paul
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Fr. Paul R. Fagan, C.P. "Preacher on the Run"Just a few thoughts to help you on your journey through life...let me know from time to time what you think... Archives
May 2023
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