Presence

I slow myself down for a moment, and try to realise that God is present,
To me, here and now. He is present in what I do,
in the people that I meet, and the situations I find myself in daily.
I become present to the One who is always present to me.

Freedom

God is not foreign to my freedom.
Instead, the Spirit breathes life into my most intimate desires,
gently nudging me towards all that is good.
I ask for the grace to let myself be enfolded by the Spirit.

Consciousness

There is a time and place for everything, as the saying goes.
Lord, grant that I may always desire
to spend time in Your presence,
to hear Your call.

The Word of God

¹²“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. ¹³No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. ¹⁴You are my friends if you do what I command you. ¹⁵I do not call you servants any longer, because the servant does not know what the master is doing, but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father. ¹⁶You did not choose me, but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name. ¹⁷I am giving you these commands so that you may love one another.

Inspiration

In our call to love one another, we are invited by the words and example of Jesus to be willing to give up even our lives for our brothers and sisters. In human history, there are countless men and women who have done this, the greatest act of love. I am not thinking primarily of the multitude of martyrs but of the unknown men and women who died for the sake of others. Let us pray for the courage to love as they did.

Conversation

Jesus, You are always there waiting for me.
Sometimes I get bogged down
with the concerns of this life.
Grant that I may be still more often,
To know Your peace, Your calm.

Conclusion

I thank God for His gift of love
as I go forth with joy and hope
to serve His people.

Amen