God of Light, you sent your Son into the darkness of our night, and raised him to your glory; not to abandon us to grief, but to teach us to prepare in joy for his return.
We pray for all who have no hope, that they may find it in the lights of your Spirit, according to the promise of Jesus, our Lord.
Come, Holy Spirit, send forth the heavenly radiance of your light. Cleanse that which is unclean, water that which is dry, heal that which is wounded.
Today is the commemoration of Ascension Day, when Jesus rose up through the clouds and into heaven. Here’s a few ideas for celebrating the day and preparing for Pentecost on May 31.
Pray for outreach and missionaries. Before Jesus in physical form left the planet, he asked his disciples to spread the word about his willingness to atone for people’s sins so they could be in the presence of the Holy God when they died.
Pack a picnic. Go outside to enjoy the sky and the clouds. If it’s pouring down rain, try it on the weekend.
Begin nightly contemplations or family discussion on the gifts of the Holy Spirit. It’s a good way to prepare for Pentecost. The gifts are:
The world is starting to open up a little. We may see people at least six feet away with a mask on, or we see them on a computer screen. Our strange circumstances call from more Christian mindfulness than ever.
Today, remember that God has an agenda for your time. It includes who you meet. Try to see each person as a divine appointment. God has put this person on your path. You can have the intention to respond in grace.
This is tough for me this week because I inadvertently set off a storm of criticism for my decision to wear a mask on a social media channel. I became the “COVID-19 police.” People used my name “Karen” in meme vain. That ticked me off. I had to fight off encouraging these folks who refuse to wear masks because they are “free” to hug a coughing person. But the Lord kept my fingers away from the keyboard until I calmed down.
Instead, I should have remembered that I did not meet them online by accident. God put them in my pathway. God was working in them in some way, and I needed to determine how I could best show God’s love to them.
If we can practice doing this for a few days, we may find ourselves in a more pleasant world. Let’s give it a try.
Do not fret because of the wicked; do not envy those who do evil: for they wither quickly like grass and fade like the green of the fields. If you trust in the Lord and do good, then you will live in the land and be secure. If you find your delight in the Lord, he will grant your heart's desire. Commit your life to the Lord, trust in him and he will act, so that your justice breaks forth like the light, your cause like the noon-day sun. Be still before the Lord and wait in patience; do not fret at the man who prospers; a man who makes evil plots to bring down the needy and the poor. Calm your anger and forget your rage; do not fret, it only leads to evil. For those who do evil shall perish; the patient shall inherit the land. A little longer -- and the wicked shall have gone. Look at his place, he is not there. But the humble shall own the land and enjoy the fullness of peace. Psalm 37: 1-11
Hallow is a comprehensive app for contemplative prayer and Christian meditation. Listed as the No. 1 Catholic app, its rich resources provide good material for Christians of any denomination.
The app has close to 500 sessions. When you download it, you are asked to pick areas that you are interested in, such as daily Gospel, night prayer and meditation, or prayer lists, which are topics with multiple prayers and teachings.
The app also includes the Rosary, the examen, lector divine, spiritual journaling and chantings. Hallow allows us to build a community with friends and family. It also offers a habit tracker, journal and notifications.
The home page of the app includes a prayer plan filled with options based on your choices and a group of minute meditations.
Hallow has received a 4.9 rating from 8,700 users on Apple. It’s $8.99 a month or $60 a year with the first three months free (and the ability to cancel.)
As the world starts to reopen and the pandemic still continues, it’s easy to get distracted and to lose focus on the presence of Jesus.
This simple Christian mindfulness practice can move you back into the present moment and rekindle gratitude for God’s gifts to us.
Just close your eyes and breathe deeply three times. When you open your eyes, concentrate on what you see. Name the colors of things in the space around you. Thank God for each color that he created. God is the source of the color wheel, and even colors we can see. Thank Him for His creativity!
We are not the only ones who benefit when we practice Christian mindfulness day after day. Experiencing the presence of Jesus comforts and changes us, so we become better co-workers, neighbors, family members and friends. We become lamps on the table in a very dark place.
The world is out of control. People face uncertainty and fear. In the midst of a long-term, ongoing crisis, people notice when someone else is at peace. It is a significant witness in the midst of a worldwide pandemic. Our attitudes show our trust in God.
In 2 Corinthians 1:5-7, Paul writes that those of us who experience God’s comfort are not just storehouses. We don’t just enjoy the experience. We are conduits that share that comfort with others … sometimes through purposeful ministry, sometime just in daily interactions with others.
Practicing the presence of Jesus brings peace to more than just us. It can show the world a safe path in a challenging time.
Practicing gratitude every Thursday changes our attitude all week. When we start to look for just five things to be grateful for, we can enjoy the joyful feeling of Thanksgiving all year long.
It helps to keep a list … easy to access in your day … where you write down the good things that happen as they happen. Good things do happen as long as we are on Earth and under God’s care. The sky, the sun and the stars can inspire at least three of the five things. On really bad days, it’s also OK to be grateful that the day is over.
This practice transforms our attitude into something more positive. This article from positivepsychology.com talks in depth about how gratitude impacts anxiety and other difficult issues. Particularly when we are experiencing unhappy times, it’s refreshing to look for the good all around us.
Scheduling a Thanksgiving time for every Thursday creates a special focus on gratitude that lightens up the week. As part of weekly Thanksgiving, consider sharing your gratitude list with your family or a good friend. It helps us all to see the true reality rather than just the dark clouds.
For more thoughts on gratitude, click here.
Listen very careful to the sounds around you. Even silence has sounds.
Take five minutes or more to listen. What do you hear? Beloved voices? Music you’ve been stuck with via the kids? The purr of cat or the snore of a dog?
When you listen, you can hear more. It’s also reportedly good for calming your spirit. Listening to silence brings you peace. Listening lets the Lord speak quietly to your soul.
The Proverbs 31 woman was not controlled by her circumstances and the demands of her family, her household or her home business. She was ruler of her attitudes, her time and her schedule. Her relationship with God was central. All that she became was the result of her yielding to His sovereign control.
Linda Dillow, “Calm My Anxious Heart”
