Ordinary Time

Pause

All of us live full lives. And yet in spite of all the things we have accomplished thus far or plan to accomplish in the future, there is nothing more valuable in life than the knowledge of God’s presence.

Knowing that God is with you and for you, feel free to let go of everything that is holding you down or holding you back. Settle into the silence of this moment and recognize what a gift it is. Because of God’s love, you are free.

So receive God with gladness, and open both your heart and mind, that God might move in you and through you, even now.

Listen

The person whose help is the God of Jacob— the person whose hope rests on the Lord their God— is truly happy!

God: the maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them,

God: who is faithful forever, who gives justice to people who are oppressed, who gives bread to people who are starving!

Psalm 146:5-7a

Think

We often think of God as some celestial being on the other side of the universe — up there, out there, and sometimes here. But the God of Jacob is not a passive observer. God is at all times active in our world.

But some of us can’t help but ask, where is God at work? What is God doing?

According to the Psalmist, God acts as Creator, giving form and life to all that exists. And as Creator, God loves and cherishes creation — all of it. So it only makes sense that God also acts on behalf of those who are oppressed in order to bring about justice. What does this look like? Well, to those who are hungry, God gives bread. Which can only mean one thing. When we give bread to the hungry, we are participating with God.

If God is actively working to bring about justice, then as God’s people, that’s what we are to be doing as well. We are not passive observers. Having joined with God in God’s redemptive plan, we are actors.

Chris Robertson

Pray

God, it’s good to know that you are at work in the world. But with so much injustice, it’s obvious that there’s still more work to do. So please give me the eyes to see where injustice exists and the power to do something about it, in order that all of creation might be reconciled unto you. Amen.

Go

“The purpose of prayer and religious seeking is to see the truth about reality, is to see what is. And at the bottom of what is is always goodness. The foundation is always love.”

Richard Rohr, Everything Belongs, 2003

God renews our vision and invites us to look deeper — all the way to what is. God wants us to see the love and goodness of what is. Are you paying attention?