Opening Prayer: Lord Jesus, it is so easy in this life to
become distracted and forget what is most important, in light of the things
that are most urgent. Help us to give
you first place in our hearts and souls and lives today. Lord Jesus, be our first and truest affection
this day. Amen.
Scripture: Mark 12:28-34
Journal: What (or who) is first in your life these
days? What (or who) truly has your
heart? What would it look like for God
to have all of your heart, soul, mind, and strength?
Reflection:
In recent years I have become more and more aware
of my own tendency to think that the value of my presence depends on what I say
or do. And yet it is becoming clearer to
me every day that this preoccupation with performing in fact prevents me from
letting God speak through me in any way he wants, and so keeps me from making
connections prior to any special word or deed.
In no way am I trying to minimize or even
to criticize the importance of training for the ministry. Am simply suggesting that this training will
bear more fruit when it occurs in the context of a spirituality, a way of life
in which we are primarily concerned, not to be with people but to be with God,
not to walk in the presence of anyone who asks for our attention but to walk in
the presence of God—a spirituality, in short, which helps us to distinguish
service from our need to be liked, praised, or respected.
Over the years we have developed the idea
that being present to people in all their needs is our greatest and primary
vocation. The Bible does not seem to
support this. Jesus’ primary concern was
to be obedient to his Father, to live constantly in his presence. Only then did it become clear to him what his
task was in his relationships with people.
This also is the way he proposes for his apostles: “It is to the glory
of my Father that you should bear much fruit and then you will be my disciples”
(John 15:8). Perhaps we must continually
remind ourselves that the first commandment requiring us to love God with all
our heart, all our soul, and all our mind is indeed the first. I wonder if we really believe this. It seems that in fact we live as if we should
give as much of our heart, soul, and mind as possible to our fellow human
beings, while trying hard not to forget God.
At least we feel that our attention should be divided evenly between God
and our neighbor. But Jesus’ claim is
much more radical. He asks for a
single-minded commitment to God and God alone.
God want all of our heart, all of our mind, and all of our soul. It is this unconditional and unreserved love
for God that leads to the care for our neighbor, not as an activity which
distracts us from God or competes with our attention to God, but as an expression
of our love for God who reveals himself to us as the god of all people. It is in God that we find our neighbors and
discover our responsibility to them. (The Living Reminder by Henri
Nouwen)
Prayer
Closing Prayer: Lord,
you know me better than I know myself.
Your Spirit pervades every moment of my life. Thank you for the grace and love you shower
on me. Thank you for your constant,
gentle invitation to let you into my life.
Forgive me for the times I have refused that invitation, and closed myself
off from you. Help me in the day to
come, to recognize your presence in my life, to open myself to you, to let you
work in me, to your greater glory. Amen. (The Spiritual Exercises by St.
Ignatius)
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