Presence

Dear Lord, as I come to You today,
fill my heart and my whole being
with the wonder of Your presence.

Freedom

Lord, guide me always
to do Your holy will,
knowing that Your strength
will carry me through.

Consciousness

At this moment, Lord, I turn my thoughts to You.
I will leave aside my chores and preoccupations.
I will take rest and refreshment in Your presence.

The Word of God

⁴⁴“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and reburied; then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

⁴⁵“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls; ⁴⁶on finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.

Inspiration

To discover the treasure that Christ came to give us is a great joy and worth giving everything for. However, it can happen that after we have bought the field and hidden the treasure, we can forget exactly where we buried it, and so by neglect, we lose out. Fr Gerard Hughes SJ wrote, ‘Many sit guarding the treasure-box without ever opening it.’ 

Prayer from our hearts is the key to discovering the treasure and the immense joy that is at the heart of the gospels. St Teresa of Avila wrote that we can even begin to experience heaven on earth, and she reminded us that the treasure is within us.

Conversation

What graces does God want to bestow on me in this time of prayer? If I listen deep inside, in the quiet of my heart, what is the Lord saying to me there?

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