Ordinary Time

Pause

We listen for God’s calling voice, even from the most surprising sources.

We look for God’s good works, even in the most unexpected places.

We listen and we look—because God calls us, even our surprising selves, to do good works, even where we never expected.

Pause. Listen. Look.

Listen

Those of you who love the Lord, hate evil! God guards the lives of his faithful ones, delivering them from the power of the wicked. Light is planted like seed for the righteous person; joy too for those whose heart is right. Rejoice in the Lord, righteous ones! Give thanks to his holy name!

Psalm 97:10-12

Think

Just this week we seem to have moved safely into spring, so I went to the garden center and bought plants for my patio — a few flowers, but mostly tomatoes, peppers, herbs.

This time last year I planted seeds of all the things I wanted to grow. But the thing about seeds is, if you’re a halfway decent gardener, if you pay attention and take care of them, even if some are duds, you still end up with way more tomatoes and peppers and herbs than you can possibly eat. You’ll have more flowers than you can fit in your pots. You’ll end up giving plants and produce to everyone you meet!

“Light is planted like seed… joy too,” the Psalmist said.

Light and joy, if you pay attention and take care of them, will take over your garden. They’ll spring up everywhere, unexpectedly, abundantly. They’ll create beauty where you least expect it and bring nourishment from surprising sources.

And you’ll have armloads of them to give away.

Nikki Finkelstein-Blair

Pray

Thank you, God, for your faithfulness in planting light in me; thank you for your generosity in growing my joy! Teach me to be a faithful gardener, to watch closely and tend carefully wherever I see your seeds sprouting up — especially where I never thought to look. Amen.

Go

Listen: God, the Most High, is speaking!

Look: God, the Most High, is working!

Say Yes: God, the Most High, is inviting us to hear, to see, to join in!