PREACHER ON THE RUN
  • Home
  • My Story
  • My Ministry
  • Thoughts for the Journey
  • Prayers for the Journey
  • Running by Faith
  • Preaching the Good News
  • Contact
  • Prayer Request
  • Where in the World?
  • Through the Cross
        Thoughts for the Journey

Today's Thoughts...

1/9/2019

1 Comment

 
Today’s Thoughts: After praying with today’s readings the question that I asked myself is, "What do I most fear?" In answering this question, I came up with many examples of things that at time cause me to be afraid. Sometimes I fear the future because of the state of the world, all the anger, discontent and violence that seems to make us everyday life. I sometimes fear the future of our Church because of all the things that have happened over the last 15 or 20 years. As a priest and a religious I am afraid of the future of religious life and priesthood. These are just some of the things that I fear there are many others that I will not mention in this short reflection.
 
However, the question that I asked is what do I fear most at this moment of my life? As I said this question is based on the readings today, they both deal with fear. In the first reading, (1 John 4:11-18), John talks about perfect love casting out fear, in the Gospel, (Mark 6:45-52), Jesus tells the disciples to have courage and not fear. Yet fear always seems to be a part of life.
 
I know for myself, fear has always raised its ugly head. I remember my mother talking about her life just before I was born. She said that was a time when she struggled with fear. My mother, father and sister had just move back to the Pittsburgh area into a new home. It was in a new subdivision about 15 miles outside of Pittsburgh, only a few homes were built and there were very few people in the neighborhood. Mom had no phone for a while, no car and spent a good portion of the day lone with my sister who was about 5 years old. Mom always said it was a fearful time in her life. I have often wondered if, as a baby in her womb that I was affected by her struggle with fear, because once I came into the world it seemed I was afraid of everything including my own shadow.
 
"What am I most afraid of?" In my life I could still say many things as an answer to this question. But I have come to believe that I am most afraid of love, not being loved, not finding love. I think it is because I realize that with love fear would not be a problem, yet fear is a problem for me. I think it is because I struggle with love.
 
Both Jesus and John tell us that today, if we love, if we allow ourselves to be loved, especially by God then fear will never hurt us, because love casts out fear. With love there is no room for fear without love fear takes up all the room.
 
No matter what life throws at us, no matter what changes take place in religious life, the church, culture, society, no matter what we lose or struggle with in life, if we let love in, if we value the presence of love, if we let ourselves love and be loved fear has no chance, no room!
 
Have a great Wednesday everyone!
1 Comment
Liz
1/9/2019 05:27:02 am

Love never fails.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    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

    November 2024
    October 2024
    September 2024
    August 2024
    July 2024
    June 2024
    May 2024
    April 2024
    March 2024
    February 2024
    January 2024
    December 2023
    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Proudly powered by Weebly
  • Home
  • My Story
  • My Ministry
  • Thoughts for the Journey
  • Prayers for the Journey
  • Running by Faith
  • Preaching the Good News
  • Contact
  • Prayer Request
  • Where in the World?
  • Through the Cross