Ordinary Time 
Pause
Life is often a struggle and sometimes it is dangerous. There are many things that can cause us to stumble and it’s easy to be afraid of what is “out there.”
But the way of Jesus is one that calls us to risk, to dare, to take a chance. This is the way Jesus lived and the path to which he calls us.
It’s good to know that, all along the way, we are covered and cared for, protected by the Spirit of God. Whether or not you are feeling vulnerable right now, trust in the Spirit to watch over you.
Listen
After Jesus had spoken these words, he looked up to heaven and said, "Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son so that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all people, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. I glorified you on earth by finishing the work that you gave me to do. So now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had in your presence before the world existed."
John 17:1–5
Think
It’s the last night Jesus is with his disciples. He has so much to say, and so little time left to say it: Serve one another. Love one another. Remember that God and I are one. The Holy Spirit will come to you. I give you my peace. Go and bear fruit. Jesus explains that these last-minute reminders are “to keep you from stumbling” and “so that in me you may have peace” (John 16:1, 33).
Then, in the very last scraps of time remaining before his arrest, Jesus lifts his eyes to heaven and prays. He knows the disciples are listening, and with his prayer he reminds them of one more thing: his purpose is to give eternal life. But not some eternal life out there, after we die; eternal life that is here and now. Eternal life is knowing God and God’s Son, Jesus.
Eternal life is here and now. This very moment in your life is ablaze with the light of eternity, and darkness cannot overcome it.
Julie Ball
Pray
Eternal God, thank you for the gift of eternal life. Please help me be mindful that now is the time to experience it. Amen.
Go
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy he has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who are being protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
1 Peter 1:3–5
