Presence

God, You are nearer than I dare believe, closer than my own breath. I am blessed by Your Intimate Nearness, and I need not fear.

Freedom

Guide me always to do Your holy will
knowing that Your strength will
carry me through.

Consciousness

Dear Lord, help me to be always
aware of the important things in life,
to care for those around me,
to seek Your presence in everyone I meet.

The Word of God

¹“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinegrower. ²He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit. ³You have already been cleansed by the word that I have spoken to you. ⁴Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. ⁵I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. ⁶Whoever does not abide in me is thrown away like a branch and withers; such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. ⁷If you abide in me and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. ⁸My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples.

Inspiration

Jesus invites us to live in him as he has come to live in us. If he is the vine and we are the branches, then the sap is the love that flows between us, uniting us in the loving prayer of contemplation. ‘Truly I have set my soul in silence and peace. As a child has rest in its mother’s arms, even so is my soul’ (Psalm 131).

Through the vicissitudes and difficulties in life, we are pruned by a loving vine-dresser for better bearing of fruit. St Thérese of Lisieux prayed, ‘Lord, You are wonderful in all that You do in my life.’ Let us echo her prayer, as we pray for a deeper trust in God’s loving care and in everything that he is doing in us.

Conversation

“There is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus”. (Romans 8:1). I turn to the One who loves me and knows me better than I can love or know myself. I ask Him for whatever it is I need right now.

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