Our spiritual life, our life now, which are the same, must be simple, not complex, and free of strict paths and works that are hard. Simply, we just need to desire above all else that we give ourselves to God each day and each moment in our day — and all out of love of God. Whenever we are faced with a thought or a decision or choice that is not already defined by our awareness of the Presence of Him, we need only to give ourselves to God out of love for Him. I often think to myself, praying words such as these:
Lord, let this thought I am having at this moment
be imbued with Your Presence,
so that I may recognize and give You thanks
for being present in this very thought.
It is a most good thing to pray to the Almighty One who is Present when our thinking, when our mind, can take us in any direction other than to the love of God.
And when faced with a decision or choice, as consequential as it may or may not be, pray a similar prayer that your choice, your decision, may be for love of Him. Do all you can do to repeat thoughts and make decisions that bring you face to face with remembering the Divine and Most Holy Presence of Almighty God! Imbed into everything in your life the Presence of God. Do all and think all for love of God, giving thanks for His presence.
I have mentioned to you in previous musings the years I spent in Boston in Graduate School studying Theology and Philosophy. Many times Rabbinic Students would attend some of my classes, and in one class I recall such a rabbinic Seminarian speak of the Jewish understanding of the verb To Remember. He said: “It is not a cerebral exercise but a way you live your life that encourages your to keep alive by your thoughts and choices what it is you need to remember.” Jesus also spoke of remembering at the Last Supper as He lifted up and blessed the bread and cup of wine: Do this in remembrance of Me. This is the kind of remembering about which Jesus was speaking: Keep alive who I am and What I Have Done — for You — in this Sacred Meal and on the Cross! Repeat it!
Dear friends, we need to do the same “remembering” in our daily life, our remembering of the Presence of the Almighty One, He who is Present!
The Presence of God we must always remember is with me and in me!
This habit will produce in our hearts and souls such faith that more and more we will be so satisfied. Do this, practice this, remember the Presence of God — for the love of God!
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, have mercy on me a sinner.
From the Bible:
“And he said, ‘My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest’” Exodus 33:14.
“The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth” Psalm 145:18.
“Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” Hebrews 4:16.
“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you” John 14:26.
“The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing”
Zaphaniah 3:17.
“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me” Revelation 3:20.
“One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple” Psalm 27:4.
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