6 July 2022 – Wednesday of the 14th week of Ordinary Time – Psalm 105:2-7, Matthew 10:1-7

      “Seek always the face of God.”  We hear this message in our psalm today. Unfortunately, we know that it is sometimes difficult to see the face of God in the reality of our daily lives, since we can often be so busy, preoccupied, and over-burdened.  I remember that when I was starting on a spiritual pilgrimage, a nun advised me to be aware of all the experiences, sights, sounds, and relationships that I will encounter on that journey, to ponder them in my heart, and then to see where God is speaking in all of those things.  Sometimes the face of God is obvious to us.  Other times not so much.

        We live in a world where a lot of people think that there is no God if you don't have tangible proof.  Many in the world today think that it does not matter if you go to church or not, that it is cool to say that you are spiritual, but not religious, as if being religious is a bad thing.  Many in our society think that no matter how heard you search, you are never going to find God anywhere.  And yet people go on searching for something because they sense there is something missing: searching for happiness, searching for meaning, searching for an end to their pain and anger.

        Just as we can see the face of God in the different experiences we have in life, we might reflect upon how after choosing his 12 disciples, Jesus sent them out to the world to bring his message to others.  As we can see the face in others and in the experiences we have in life, we ourselves never know how our words or our actions can touch someone.  We are called to be cognizant of the many ways we can be missionaries to the world.   We can start where we seek the face of God in our own daily lives.   Even in our worst days and in our moments of frustration and impatience, we can see the face of God if we look closely.   We can see God in an act of kindness, in the beauty of nature, in a moment when we notice his presence in a most unexpected place. May the Lord help us to seek him and to see him, even on those days where it is difficult and challenging.  And may we ourselves be the face of God to others.

8 July 2020 – Wednesday of the 14th week of Ordinary Time – Psalm 105:2-7, Matthew 10:1-7

      “Seek always the face of God.”  The words in our psalm refrain today stuck out to me in today’s readings.  We live in a world where a lot of people think that there is no God if you don't have tangible proof.  Many people like to brag that they are spiritual but not religious, implying that religion is a bad thing.  Even in the midst of the pandemic, many governmental leaders have publicly stated that huge groups of protestors have the right to gather together, that it is different and more important than a religious person wanting to go to church or to the synagogue.  Many people see God as just as an imaginative idea one can have. Some in society think that no matter how heard you search, you are never going to find God anywhere. Yet, although people say things like that publicly, people go on searching for something in their lives: searching for happiness, searching for meaning, searching for an end to their pain, searching for an end to their frustration and suffering.   

Jesus sent out his 12 disciples. He did not keep them closed up, just wanting them to pray, study, and meditate in isolation.  Instead, Jesus sent his disciples out in the world to bring his Good News to others.  We are sent into the world as disciples too.  We never know how our words or our actions can touch someone, but we need to be cognizant of the many ways we can be missionaries to the world.  We can start where we seek the face of God in our own daily lives.  Even in our worst days and in our moments of frustration and anguish, even in the midst of a pandemic and social distancing, we can see the face of God if we look closely.  We can see God in an act of kindness, in the beauty of nature, in a moment when notice His presence in a most unexpected place.  May the Lord help us to seek him and to see him, even on those days where it is the most difficult and the most challenging.