Presence

I pause for a moment, aware that God is here.
I think of how everything around me,
the air I breathe, my whole body,
is tingling with the presence of God.

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

Lord, You are present in all things
and when I take time to simply sit and be with You,
my mind rests
and I feel Your peace.

The Word of God

¹After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him in pairs to every town and place where he himself intended to go. ²He said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. ³Go on your way; I am sending you out like lambs into the midst of wolves. ⁴Carry no purse, no bag, no sandals, and greet no one on the road. ⁵Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this house!’ ⁶And if a person of peace is there, your peace will rest on that person, but if not, it will return to you. ⁷Remain in the same house, eating and drinking whatever they provide, for the laborer deserves to be paid. Do not move about from house to house. ⁸Whenever you enter a town and its people welcome you, eat what is set before you; ⁹cure the sick who are there, and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’^,

Inspiration

In the life of parishes and parishioners today, we constantly notice the goodness of people who volunteer and offer their services to others. Pope Francis constantly tells us to look towards the margins – to be outriders, so to speak – first to perceive what needs to be done and not to be slow in coming forward with generosity and big-heartedness. All have gifts and talents, though of widely different types, so we ask the Lord of the Harvest to send some of his devotees to share in the mission.

Conversation

Remembering that I am still in God’s presence,
I imagine Jesus Himself standing or sitting beside me,
and say whatever is on my mind, whatever is in my heart,
speaking as one friend to another.

Conclusion

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning,
is now and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen.

Amen