Ordinary Time 
Pause
“Praise God from whom all blessings flow;
Praise Christ, all people here below;
Praise Holy Spirit evermore;
Praise Triune God, whom we adore.”
Neil Weatherhogg, “Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow,” 1990
Listen
Bless the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! He has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing that comes from heaven.
Ephesians 1:3
Think
The social media landscape includes tweets and posts like this: “We’re going to the championship! #blessed” and “I just won $200 on a scratch off ticket! #blessed.”
It seems pretty shallow, if you think about it. Do we really believe God cares more about one team than another? Do we really believe God plays favorites through the randomness of a lottery? What is a blessing anyway?
Perhaps the operating system of our faith journey needs an update. It is certainly okay to count our blessings, but the blessings God gives us go much deeper than a trendy hashtag. Ephesians offers us a good insight: God “has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing that comes from heaven.” Heaven-sent spiritual blessings? Now that’s something to tweet about! #Emmanuel #Incarnation #ForGodSoLovedtheWorld
Neil Myer
Pray
O God, unsettle me from the comforts of shallow faith, so that I may realize the depths of the blessings you have given me through Jesus Christ. Amen.
Go
Go into the world remembering God’s richest blessings are not found in the randomness of everyday life but in the gift that is the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
