Presence

As I sit here, the beating of my heart,
the ebb and flow of my breathing, the movements of my mind,
are all signs of God’s ongoing creation of me.
I pause for a moment, and become aware
of this presence of God within me.

Freedom

Lord, like Saint Ignatius, I offer you my memory, understanding,
my entire will. All I ask for in return is Your love and Your grace – that’s enough for me.

Consciousness

I remind myself that I am in the presence of the Lord.
I will take refuge in His loving heart.
He is my strength in times of weakness.
He is my comforter in times of sorrow.

The Word of God

⁵When some were speaking about the temple, how it was adorned with beautiful stones and gifts dedicated to God, he said, ⁶“As for these things that you see, the days will come when not one stone will be left upon another; all will be thrown down.”

⁷They asked him, “Teacher, when will this be, and what will be the sign that this is about to take place?” ⁸And he said, “Beware that you are not led astray, for many will come in my name and say, ‘I am he!’ and, ‘The time is near!’ Do not go after them.

⁹“When you hear of wars and insurrections, do not be terrified, for these things must take place first, but the end will not follow immediately.” ¹⁰Then he said to them, “Nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom; ¹¹there will be great earthquakes and in various places famines and plagues, and there will be dreadful portents and great signs from heaven.

Inspiration

The ornate temple is in marked contrast to the poor widow from yesterday’s Gospel, who offered two small copper coins. Her legacy would remain but this elaborate temple would be destroyed. Lord, help us to retain perspective in life so that our hearts are set on what is of lasting value.

Jesus gave a warning about the end times. The destruction of the temple was like the end of the world. Jesus wanted to alert his listeners to what would endure. Lord, you spoke of the end, but you remind us not to be terrified, as you remain our security and our hope.

Conversation

What graces does God want to bestow on me in this time of prayer? If I listen deep inside, in the quiet of my heart, what is the Lord saying to me there?

Conclusion

Filled with the loving presence of God,
I ask Him to bless me and guide my steps
as I go to do His work in my daily life.

Amen