Presence

I pause for a moment
and reflect on God’s life-giving presence
in every part of my body, in everything around me,
in the whole of my life.

Freedom

Thank You God for my freedom.
May I use this gift to do what I can
for those who are oppressed or burdened.

Consciousness

Grant, O Lord, that I may be conscious
and grateful for all the good things you have given to me.
May I share my blessings with others always.

The Word of God

¹⁸“Hear, then, the parable of the sower. ¹⁹When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what is sown in the heart; this is what was sown on the path. ²⁰As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, ²¹yet such a person has no root but endures only for a while, and when trouble or persecution arises on account of the word, that person immediately falls away.^{, 22}As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of this age and the lure of wealth choke the word, and it yields nothing. ²³But as for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”

Inspiration

Often, when Jesus was talking with his disciples, his audience didn’t seem to get the point of the story too quickly, so he turned to parables, hoping that these tales or examples would sink in with them more easily. It may be the same for us. We need to sit with and reflect upon the material if it is to penetrate our hearts, and we pray for the gift of open listening to assist us in the process.

Conversation

How has God’s Word moved me?
Has it left me cold?
Has it consoled me or moved me to act in a new way?
I imagine Jesus standing or sitting beside me and
I turn and share my feelings with Him.

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