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        Thoughts for the Journey

Today's Thoughts...

1/25/2019

1 Comment

 
Today’s Thoughts: Greetings everyone on the Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul. It is a special day for me and one that I always celebrate I guess because I was blessed with the name Paul.
 
There are two choices today for the first reading, both for the Acts of the Apostles. In the first option from Chapter 22, Paul retells his experience on the road to Damascus and in the second option from Chapter 9 Luke is telling the same story. I could not help but smile a little as I considered the two options, they tell the same story but just a little differently. I thought of that game where someone starts off by whispering a story to the person next to them and it goes around the circle and the last person tells the story out loud and it is always a bit different.
 
Whether the stories are exactly alike, is not important, what is important, is what happen on that road to Damascus. Saul, as he was called then, soon to become Paul, has a change of heart, has a change of direction. He leaves that spot on the road a changed man, no longer a persecutor, now he is a preacher of the Good News. If anything, the story of Paul reminds us that people can change, that people can come to see life differently. It doesn't take violence, anger, insult or judgment to make them change. Sometimes all it takes is a different vision, a different perspective, a different way of seeing things. God gives Paul the opportunity to see things differently and he accepts the chance.
 
Paul put his original energy of faith to work with anger, resentment and violence, Jesus invited him to see things a different way. His energy did not go away it just got refocused in a positive life-giving way. He no longer walked in fear, anger and in judgment but he walked in the mercy of God and proclaimed the Good News and hope.
 
As we celebrate the gift of this new day, as we seek the sacredness and giftedness of life in our world, let us not live in fear, in anger, in violence, in judgment; let us live in the light and hope of the Good News. St. Paul walk with us, give us your energy to proclaim the mercy and Good News of God to the world!
 
Happy Feast Day to everyone with the name Paul and have a great Friday everyone!
1 Comment
Liz
1/25/2019 07:53:18 am

Happy Name Day! Paul is one for me to look up to as he sits on his high horse, charging ahead, ready to slay the people of the Way. His moment of truth comes with blinding light throwing him down from his mighty high place. Have you ever been in the saddle? You are fairly high up from the ground, Four horsey legs support you but you must hold onto the reins.
My few horse rides were nothing like Paul's. One Irish horse in Killarney took me to the lake where we hoped to linger but the horse was programmed to turn around and gallop back to the barn. What did Paul say when he heard God's call? "Who are you?"
Are we not just like Paul on our charging steeds, firmly holding onto our false selves? I hope when I do have such enlightening.moments like Paul, I will recognize the voice of God. I find it's so easy to put scales over my eyes. Rather than seeing God-ness or Goodness, I see something else. May we each let go of whatever is holding us in a fixed position. The People of the Way had Paul to threaten them. We have many who would wipe us out. May we stand our holy ground.

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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...

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  • Home
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