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Saturday |
Jul-27 |
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Thought For The Week
One of my favourite spiritual writers is Fr. Daniel O'Leary. Sadly Daniel died from cancer on Jan 21st earlier this year. He was originally from Rathmore but worked as a priest in the Diocese of Leeds. He was known across the world as an inspiring author, speaker and retreat facilitator. Over many years his theology and spirituality were a source of inspiration and solace for so many people. The many books he wrote were written in a simple language for everyone to understand. The following is an extract from one of his books called "The Happiness Habit".
'Your thinking has astonishing powers - to darken your life or to make it radiant.' ~Daniel O'Leary
You may not know it, but thinking constantly about something, good or bad, is drawing that situation into your own experience. There is a law that orders every moment. There is an extraordinary power in your thinking, in the images of your mind. That is how you attract the light or the darkness in your heart. Your thoughts become your reality!
This 'law of attraction' will give you what your thoughts are focusing on. So be careful! Winston Churchill said that day by day we create our own universe. Your life, your happiness, is in your hands. No matter what may have gone before, you can now change every situation in your life. Jesus says that whatever you ask for in true prayer, you are already given, even before you ask for it. What you think about and pray about, you bring about. |
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Friday |
Jul-26 |
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Thought For The Week
One of my favourite spiritual writers is Fr. Daniel O'Leary. Sadly Daniel died from cancer on Jan 21st earlier this year. He was originally from Rathmore but worked as a priest in the Diocese of Leeds. He was known across the world as an inspiring author, speaker and retreat facilitator. Over many years his theology and spirituality were a source of inspiration and solace for so many people. The many books he wrote were written in a simple language for everyone to understand. The following is an extract from one of his books called "The Happiness Habit".
'Your thinking has astonishing powers - to darken your life or to make it radiant.' ~Daniel O'Leary
You may not know it, but thinking constantly about something, good or bad, is drawing that situation into your own experience. There is a law that orders every moment. There is an extraordinary power in your thinking, in the images of your mind. That is how you attract the light or the darkness in your heart. Your thoughts become your reality!
This 'law of attraction' will give you what your thoughts are focusing on. So be careful! Winston Churchill said that day by day we create our own universe. Your life, your happiness, is in your hands. No matter what may have gone before, you can now change every situation in your life. Jesus says that whatever you ask for in true prayer, you are already given, even before you ask for it. What you think about and pray about, you bring about. |
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Wednesday |
Jul-24 |
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Thought For The Week
One of my favourite spiritual writers is Fr. Daniel O'Leary. Sadly Daniel died from cancer on Jan 21st earlier this year. He was originally from Rathmore but worked as a priest in the Diocese of Leeds. He was known across the world as an inspiring author, speaker and retreat facilitator. Over many years his theology and spirituality were a source of inspiration and solace for so many people. The many books he wrote were written in a simple language for everyone to understand. The following is an extract from one of his books called "The Happiness Habit".
'Your thinking has astonishing powers - to darken your life or to make it radiant.' ~Daniel O'Leary
You may not know it, but thinking constantly about something, good or bad, is drawing that situation into your own experience. There is a law that orders every moment. There is an extraordinary power in your thinking, in the images of your mind. That is how you attract the light or the darkness in your heart. Your thoughts become your reality!
This 'law of attraction' will give you what your thoughts are focusing on. So be careful! Winston Churchill said that day by day we create our own universe. Your life, your happiness, is in your hands. No matter what may have gone before, you can now change every situation in your life. Jesus says that whatever you ask for in true prayer, you are already given, even before you ask for it. What you think about and pray about, you bring about. |
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Tuesday |
Jul-23 |
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Thought For The Week
One of my favourite spiritual writers is Fr. Daniel O'Leary. Sadly Daniel died from cancer on Jan 21st earlier this year. He was originally from Rathmore but worked as a priest in the Diocese of Leeds. He was known across the world as an inspiring author, speaker and retreat facilitator. Over many years his theology and spirituality were a source of inspiration and solace for so many people. The many books he wrote were written in a simple language for everyone to understand. The following is an extract from one of his books called "The Happiness Habit".
'Your thinking has astonishing powers - to darken your life or to make it radiant.' ~Daniel O'Leary
You may not know it, but thinking constantly about something, good or bad, is drawing that situation into your own experience. There is a law that orders every moment. There is an extraordinary power in your thinking, in the images of your mind. That is how you attract the light or the darkness in your heart. Your thoughts become your reality!
This 'law of attraction' will give you what your thoughts are focusing on. So be careful! Winston Churchill said that day by day we create our own universe. Your life, your happiness, is in your hands. No matter what may have gone before, you can now change every situation in your life. Jesus says that whatever you ask for in true prayer, you are already given, even before you ask for it. What you think about and pray about, you bring about. |
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Sunday |
Jul-21 |
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Thought For Today called 'Martha and Mary'
Jesus visits the home of Martha. For such a short Gospel passage, this text has created much discussion among biblical scholars. It seems everyone is this story is breaking the rules: Jesus rebukes his host, Mary does not help her sister, and Martha is not sitting at Jesus' feet like a good disciple.
Luke's gospel is all about 'reversal': what you expect to happen does not happen, often the opposite happens! Confused? Mary is positioned here as a disciple learning from her Teacher. Martha as one who is trying to serve through 'many tasks.' Throughout his Gospel, Luke places a special emphasis on the wider circle of Jesus' disciples, and names the women who follow Him. Luke is perhaps reminding us in this text that being a follower of Jesus requires an upset of the norms and a reversal of roles.
This story occurs in Luke immediately after the Good Samaritan, where the importance of service and action are clearly emphasised. It seems unfair that Martha is being told off for serving those who come to her. If Jesus arrived with a hungry entourage, what host would not be stressed out! Jesus frees Martha from these duties, not because they are not important, but so that she too can be nourished by him. Frantic activity is never good or sustainable for us.
Let today's Gospel be a reminder that when we are bogged down in the craziness around us, we can sit and listen to Him. Then we may be better prepared for the challenges that we face, whether they be in our homes or our wider communities. |
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Monday |
Jul-15 |
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'We can no more go back to the way we were, than we can put toothpaste back into a tube.' ~Brendan Hoban
There are many things we will try and get on well. But if we try and put toothpaste back into a tube again, we know it will be a task very much beyond us! This can reflect on other things in life too. When we make a mistake or do something wrong we can often be like the toothpaste. It can't go back in and we can't go back on what we have done wrong. The only way forward is to start again, learn from where we went wrong and do our best not to make the same mistake.
The image of the toothpaste and the tube can also refer to what is old and new. Sometimes we're stuck in the past, stuck to what we know, stuck in what is sometimes old, stale and lacking energy. We're slow to try something new or do something different. In many of our Gospel stories Jesus gently invites us from the old and stale. We are encouraged to embrace life and do things that bring us energy and inspiration. This will be different for everyone and can be quite different each day. As the month of July swiftly moves along, what gives you energy at this time of year? What do you like doing that helps you unwind? What in your life is stale and negative? Can you do anything today to let go of one thing that's old, stale or negative? Then in place of that one thing, what can you do to try something that is new, refreshing and energising? |
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Monday |
Jul-01 |
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Over a thousand people were present at the North Cathedral yesterday for the ordination of Bishop Fintan Gavin. The event was streamed live to Skibereen Cathedral and was streamed online as well. It was a beautiful ceremony, that was life giving, meaningful, colourful and a wonderful celebration of so many gifts and talents. The ceremony lasted 2 hours and 20 minutes but for those present it didn't feel as long at all. So many people wished Bishop Fintan well and there was a large crowd outside in lovely sunshine to greet him afterwards
During his closing speech the new Bishop said the Church must reach out to those on the margins and those who have lost their faith if it is to be an authentic Christian community. The newly ordained Bishop said; "Pope Francis reminds us of the mission of the Church, is to go beyond itself, to be open and welcoming, reaching out to those on the margins and the peripheries, going towards the last, the lost, and least among us."
"He names among those on the margins as the hungry, the unemployed, those in prison, those who have lost their faith. As a Christian community if we are to be authentic, we need to be in solidarity and reach out in concrete action."
"To those who have lost their faith or are struggling to hang in there because of the awful things individuals or institutions have done in the name of the Church, we need to stretch out a hand of dialogue and listening so their voices are heard."
There are few certainties in life as we know but one certainty for sure is that the new Bishop will be given a very warm welcome in Cork. He might be from Dublin but nobody in Cork will hold that against him even if the Dublin footballers win the 5 in a row this year! We wish him the very best in his ministry ahead as Bishop of Cork and Ross.
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