Ordinary Time

Pause

It is the nature of God to Care.

The Creator of the universe invests in our lives through direct intervention and through the care of others.

Sometimes we just need to have eyes to capture the vision, ears to catch the rhythm, and a heart to respond to God’s call.

Listen

When he saw her, the Lord had compassion for her and said, “Don’t cry.” He stepped forward and touched the stretcher on which the dead man was being carried. Those carrying him stood still. Jesus said, “Young man, I say to you, get up.” The dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother.

Luke 7:13-15

Think

On a trip out west, my children and I went to a small local museum in Deadwood, South Dakota. There were Cavalry swords from western battles, rustic handmade furniture, fine china brought west by settlers, and other equally unexciting memorabilia.

My daughter and I stopped to look at some random things displayed under glass on a large library table. Among the collection was a pencil drawing of Jesus in a cheap metal frame. The artist had drawn him with a crown of thorns on his head and his eyes closed. In the corner of the frame was a curled up piece of paper that said, “Prayerfully look at this and the eyes will open.”

My twelve-year-old daughter and I silently stood there a moment and then walked on arm-in-arm. I casually looked at her and said, “I didn’t see his eyes open, did you?” To which she replied, “Maybe it wasn’t his eyes that were supposed to open.”

Sometimes in looking for the miracles all around us, we must open our eyes to see them.

Wanda Kidd

Pray

God of miracles and abundant love, please open my eyes to see the many ways you want to care for me by showing me the wonders of this life. Through pain and suffering, help me to know that I am not alone and enable me to see that Christ meets me in my deepest sorrow and gives me hope to see beyond my pain. Amen.

Go

Care is an engaging word. If we care, then we are compelled to respond to the needs we see around us. Sometimes it requires action, sometimes it simply calls for our presence, but it always propels us to see the world with Christ-like compassion and grace.

Remember today: we do not always know what someone is going through.