All the festivities and food are slowing down. The Feast of Stephen, or Boxing Day, is a good time for us to slow down too.

I’ve always wondered what the discussion process was in putting the commemoration of Christianity’s first martyr the day after Christmas. Perhaps it is to show the possible cost of loving Jesus.

Today, try this mindfulness exercise: Eat silently and alone for one of your snacks or even a meal. Enjoy the presence of God with you, and pay attention to the sights, smells and tastes of the food he has blessed for you.