Presence

I reflect for a moment on God’s presence around me and in me.
Creator of the universe, the sun and the moon, the earth,
every molecule, every atom, everything that is:
God is in every beat of my heart. God is with me, now.

Freedom

I will ask for God’s help
to be free from my own preoccupations,
to be open to God in this time of prayer, and
to come to know, love and serve Him more.

Consciousness

Life is busy, Lord.
Often my best intentions are left undone,
but I know that You are with me in all I say and do,
and in everyone I meet with daily.

The Word of God

¹Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany, the home of Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. ²There they gave a dinner for him. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those reclining with him. ³Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus’s feet, and wiped them with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. ⁴But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (the one who was about to betray him), said, ⁵“Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?” ⁶(He said this not because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; he kept the common purse and used to steal what was put into it.) ⁷Jesus said, “Leave her alone. She bought it so that she might keep it for the day of my burial. ⁸You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.”

⁹When the great crowd of the Jews learned that he was there, they came not only because of Jesus but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. ¹⁰So the chief priests planned to put Lazarus to death as well, ¹¹since it was on account of him that many of the Jews were deserting and were believing in Jesus.

Inspiration

In the home of Martha and Mary, Jesus found a great welcome and a reverence which drew him back to visit them.  Let us pray for the grace to make him welcome in our hearts, and to be enabled to make our home in him, as he has invited us to do.

Despite being called to the inner circle of Jesus’ apostles, Judas in his selfishness had not taken his opportunities to come to know and love him.  Now is the acceptable time for each of us to come to know and love and follow Jesus our Lord and Master.

Conversation

What feelings are rising in me as I pray and reflect on God’s Word?
I imagine Jesus Himself sitting or standing near me and I open my heart to Him.

Conclusion

I thank God for these few moments we have spent alone together and for any insights I may have been given concerning the text.

Amen