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

Lord, I pray for Your gift of freedom.
May Your Holy Spirit
guide those in power to work for
true justice for all Your people.

Consciousness

Sometimes I get overwhelmed by the cares of this world.
At times like these may I be aware
of the comfort of your Presence,
Your infinite love for me.

The Word of God

¹Now there was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews. ²He came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with that person.” ³Jesus answered him, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.”^{, 4}Nicodemus said to him, “How can anyone be born after having grown old? Can one enter a second time into the mother’s womb and be born?” ⁵Jesus answered, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit. ⁶What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. ⁷Do not be astonished that I said to you, ‘You must be born from above.’ ⁸The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

Inspiration

Our baptism is our first real birthday into the new life of grace.  We become the temple of the Holy Spirit, sharing in the very life of God himself.  The floodgates of all the graces Christ has won for us are opened to us.  But, like the life of our bodies, it takes time and nurturing for this new life to grow in us.  We give thanks for this great sacrament of initiation when so many millions have never even heard of Christ. 

It is so easy for us to forget that the life of the soul is so much more important than the life of the body.  Jesus said in John 6:63, ‘It is the Spirit that gives life.  The flesh is of no avail.  My words are spirit and they are life.’  It is through water and the Spirit at our baptism that we first receive the new life of grace.  Let us pray for a greater appreciation of the gift we received at our baptism.

Conversation

“He looked at him and loved him”. (Mark 10:21). Can I allow myself to sit in the loving gaze of Jesus, Who loves me at all times and places, in all circumstances? God always looks at me with unconditional love.

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