Intention and attention. Those are the words that came to me when thinking and reflecting about the Gospel today. We see Jesus at his most human as he is obviously exasperated and frustrated with the people in the towns who don’t seem to get the message. Just as a parent might be exasperated with having to repeat a request to a small child (or a teenager) yet again. Am I paying attention to where God is in my day? Am I heeding the request to live a life where I love my neighbor and that person who cut me off in traffic? Am I taking time to enjoy the laughter of children, the soft breeze that brushes my skin, the moment of peace in a busy day?
We don’t have Jesus in person to spread the Gospel, but we have the words, we have the Mass, we have so many formal and informal opportunities to experience the love of God and the presence of God. But like the people in the towns that Jesus speaks of, we aren’t paying attention. That attention can spread beyond the formal prayers we say. One of my favorite Jesuit charisms is to find God in all things. That means in the beauty of nature, the sorrow of a friend fighting cancer, the chance to help someone, or offer a smile or a word of encouragement.
We don’t intend to ignore God in all things. We just get wrapped up in things and ourselves. We are tired, sometimes frustrated, worried, uncertain, and afraid. But we can start our day with intention, to pay attention to those small blessings that we all experience but sometimes barely notice. A sip of hot coffee. A friend who is glad to see us. The sunshine or the respite of a cloudy day. We can find God in all things. We just have to pay attention.
Carol Zuegner
Writing and reading the Daily Reflections helps me connect with my faith.
