Presence

I pause for a moment
and think of the love and the grace
that God showers on me,
creating me in His image and likeness,
making me His temple….

Freedom

“I am free.”
When I look at these words in writing,
they seem to create in me a feeling of awe.
Yes, a wonderful feeling of freedom.
Thank You, God.

Consciousness

Dear Jesus, may I always be aware of Your presence,
Your power and Your Love,
all the days of my life.

The Word of God

¹“Beware of practicing your righteousness before others in order to be seen by them, for then you have no reward from your Father in heaven.

²“So whenever you give alms, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be praised by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. ³But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, ⁴so that your alms may be done in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.^,

⁵“And whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, so that they may be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. ⁶But whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.^,

¹⁶“And whenever you fast, do not look somber, like the hypocrites, for they mark their faces to show others that they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. ¹⁷But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, ¹⁸so that your fasting may be seen not by others but by your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

Inspiration

Our Father, who sees in secret, looks at our hearts, for it is from there that we truly live. In this season of Lent, which can be a kind of spring-cleaning of our souls, let us begin with generosity in giving more time to prayer and making sacrifices this might entail, for example, less TV or screen time. We pray to place God more and more at the forefront of our lives.

When you pray, go into your own heart, shut the door to outward distractions and be with him who is present there. ‘Now is the time for prayer, now nothing else matters, now no one is important but God!’

Conversation

Lord, You have engraved my name
on the palm of Your hand.
Even if others forget me,
You never will.

Conclusion

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning,
is now and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen.

Amen