Ordinary Time

Pause

The kingdom of God is justice and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

Come, Lord, and open in us the gates of your kingdom.

“The Kingdom of God” from Communaute de Taizé

Listen

Seek good and not evil, that you may live; and so the Lord, the God of heavenly forces, will be with you just as you have said. Hate evil, love good, and establish justice at the city gate. Perhaps the Lord God of heavenly forces will be gracious to what is left of Joseph.

Amos 5:14-15

Think

The people in our town hide painted rocks. Children and adults paint the rocks and hide them throughout the town for someone to find. Each rock has a positive note or picture. Some bear words such as love, share, and do good. Sometimes the rocks are hard to find. Sometimes they’re in plain sight.

Seeking the Lord, too, can be hard. Following goodness and justice is hard. We have peer pressure to do and be something that we’re not. Sometimes it’s easier to be a bully than a friend. Sometimes it’s easier to stay quiet than to speak up for justice.

Find ways in your life to seek goodness. Surprise someone with a kind word. Offer to sit with someone who looks lonely. Live for God and others. Do the hard and holy work of seeking goodness wherever you go. And be surprised by the joy you’ll find!

Kimberly Knowle-Zeller

Pray

Good God, help me to offer a kind word to someone in need of your love. Amen.

Go

My heart shall sing of the day you bring.

Let the fires of your justice burn.

Wipe away all tears, for the dawn draws near, and the world is about to turn.

from “Canticle of the Turning” by Rory Cooney (1990)