Ordinary Time

Pause

Human progress is neither automatic nor inevitable… Every step toward the goal of justice requires sacrifice, suffering, and struggle; the tireless exertions and passionate concern of dedicated individuals.

Martin Luther King, Jr. in Stride Toward Freedom, 1957

Listen

All that you have made gives thanks to you, Lord; all your faithful ones bless you! They speak of the glory of your kingdom; they talk all about your power, to inform all human beings about God’s power and the majestic glory of God’s kingdom.

Psalm 145:10-12

Think

When I read these words of the psalmist, I think to myself whoever wrote this must have been very blessed. However, when I dug into this scripture more I learned that this psalm was most likely written while the Israelites were in exile. That means that they were forcibly removed from their homes and their towns, and everything that meant something to them was gone. In other words, this psalm was written by a refugee. And yet, even in the midst of an unimaginable struggle, the psalmist gives praise to God.

The 13th-century poet Rumi said that just being in a body, being able to feel things, and seeing a sunrise is a state of rapture. In other words, just being alive is cause for celebration. It’s hard to imagine being a refugee and still finding the joy in God. But the psalmist realizes: I’m alive! That is worthy of praise! The psalmist has another day to do something different, to be even more faithful! The psalmist knew that God is not yet done — so celebrate!

Jeremy Wilhelmi

Pray

Everlasting God, let every beat of my heart, every breath of my lungs, every word I speak, every move I make, glorify you and magnify your love! Amen.

Go

It's great to be able to stop
When you've planned a thing that's wrong,
And be able to do something else instead
And think this song:

I can stop when I want to
Can stop when I wish.
I can stop, stop, stop any time.
And what a good feeling to feel like this
And know that the feeling is really mine.
Know that there's something deep inside
That helps us become what we can.

from “What Do You Do With the Mad That You Feel?” by Fred M. Rogers, 1968