Presence

Lord, thank you for being my companion on life’s journey, each day, and in each moment, including this one. Help me to tune in to your presence now…

Scripture

Romans 12:9-13

Let love be genuine; hate what is evil; hold fast to what is good; love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor. Do not lag in zeal; be ardent in spirit; serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope; be patient in affliction; persevere in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints; pursue hospitality to strangers.

Reflection

Wow. That’s a lot to take in. If we could do all this, all the time, we would be truly living our Christian faith.  But we’re human. We’re proud, impatient, and hypocritical. We turn our backs on those in need when it’s inconvenient, when it adversely affects our property prices, or when it requires us to give more than we’re comfortable with. The NIMBY phenomenon – not in my back yard – has been revived. Instead of taking a critical look at our beliefs and asking ourselves what we could do to make a difference, we ignore what’s happening because it doesn’t affect us personally.  What if one day it does? What if one day we are the people no one wants? What then?

Closing prayer

Dear God, help me to open my eyes to reality and critically examine my beliefs. Give me the grace to put myself in another person’s shoes and to figure out what I can do to help them. If I can make a difference with one person, that is a start. Help me to live my faith.  Amen.