Ordinary Time 
Pause
Start by placing your feet firmly on the ground... and placing your palms facing up on your lap... like you’re ready to catch something.
When you breathe in, receive God’s love into every inch of your body, mind, and heart.
When you breathe out, share God’s love into a world which desperately needs that love.
Take a deep breath—in and out.
And another one—in and out.
And one more—in and out.
Be at peace.
Listen
I was appointed a messenger, apostle, and teacher of this good news. This is also why I’m suffering the way I do, but I’m not ashamed. I know the one in whom I’ve placed my trust. I’m convinced that God is powerful enough to protect what he has placed in my trust until that day. Hold on to the pattern of sound teaching that you heard from me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. Protect this good thing that has been placed in your trust through the Holy Spirit who lives in us.
2 Timothy 1:11-14
Think
Have you ever heard a mean racist, sexist, or homophobic joke? How did it make you feel? I cringe whenever I hear that kind of joke. Although I hate the joke in and of itself — how could I not when it insults or demeans another beloved child of God? — I also hate knowing that I need to stand up against this kind of joke. I’m not a person who loves conflict, and so telling a person that their joke is mean, hurtful, and not funny can be scary to me. And yet, all throughout the Bible, we hear stories about God expecting God’s beloved people to stand up for the dignity of all people, even if that causes them to make sacrifices for it.
This kind of sacrifice is something that Paul knew well. He was run out of town and even put in prison for telling people the truth of God’s radical love. Sometimes our faith requires us to do difficult things to witness to the truth. But, as Paul writes, God has given us the strength to protect this kind of just faith.
Cody Maynus
Pray
God of love, help me to be strong in witnessing to your love for all of creation. When I am afraid or doubting, give me courage and power in the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Go
“Why must people kneel down to pray? If I really wanted to pray I’ll tell you what I'd do. I'd go out into a great big field all alone or in the deep, deep woods and I'd look up into the sky—up—up—up—into that lovely blue sky that looks as if there was no end to its blueness. And then I'd just feel a prayer.”
Lucy Maud Montgomery in Anne of Green Gables (1908)
As you move into the realities of your daily life, go into the deep woods of your imagination, look up, up, up into the sky of your heart, and feel a prayer.
