Ordinary Time 
Pause
“I feel so alive!” We all have experiences that can make us shout that phrase. But we can also feel those occasions don’t come along often enough and we long to know that feeling again, especially in difficult times.
Feeling alive is attached always to the One who gives us life. Open yourself in these next moments to be touched by life as it is meant to be.
Listen
"A disciple is not above the teacher, nor a slave above the master; it is enough for the disciple to be like the teacher, and the slave like the master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household!"
Matthew 10:24-25
Think
Last summer I lived in Arica, Chile, hoping to find Jesus at work there. Immersed in the culture, building relationships and learning as much from my missionary hosts as I could, I did find Jesus already in motion, but I became overwhelmed.
There was a lot of work to do, and I was only there for two months. What would happen with the community group I started, or the church I worked with, or the children I loved at the children’s home? How was I supposed to be what they all needed?
When Jesus sends out his disciples, he relieves them of the stress of having to be…well, Jesus. We work hard following Jesus into good work, but we stress ourselves out thinking we have to have it all figured out. The way things turn out is not entirely up to us. In Chile, I found Jesus already bringing life. So the good news is Jesus will be there long after I’ve left.
Lesley-Ann Hix
Pray
Holy God, I am grateful that you call me. I am grateful that, no matter where I am, I can be a part of your ongoing work. Help me remember that it’s not all up to me. Amen.
Go
Breathe. Breathe deeply and feel the spirit of life within. Know that the Giver of life is with you, making you alive by the Spirit that is still at work in all of creation.
Then walk. Walk confidently into your day, aware that the life-giving Christ is alongside you with every step.
