Ours is not meant to be a life of judgment.
It is not meant to be a life of vengeance.
It is not to be a life of one-upmanship.
It is to be a life given as gift to all.
--Fr. Patrick Michaels,
Good Friday Homily 2024
It is remarkable how easy it is to bless others, to speak good things to and about them, to call forth their beauty and truth, when you yourself are in touch with your own blessedness. The blessed one always blesses. And people want to be blessed!
As the “blessed ones,” we can walk through this world and offer blessings. It doesn’t require much effort. It flows naturally from our hearts. When we hear within ourselves the voice calling us by name and blessing us, the darkness no longer distracts us. The voice that calls us the Beloved will give us words to bless others and reveal to them that they are no less blessed than we.
--Henri Nouwen
Loving God, you created all the people of the world and you know each of us by name. We thank you for our pastor, Fr. Patrick Michaels, whose birthday we celebrate today. Bless him with your love and friendship, that he may continue to grow in wisdom, knowledge, and grace. Amen!
Happy Birthday, Fr. Pat! May you continue to be blessed with a constant awareness of all that God is doing in your life, as you are blessing and source of revelation of his love to us all!
Image source: El Greco, Christ Blessing (The Saviour of the World), ca. 1600. https://www.nationalgalleries.org/art-and-artists/34183/christ-blessing-saviour-world
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