Week 216

Positive post Sunday, April 11, 2021- Week 216. 

Last week we celebrated Easter and the conclusion of Holy Week.  To the sports fan, this week would be like the week after the Superbowl, the World Series, or for us cyclists, the Tour de France.  A time where perhaps one might feel empty or not know what to do now that the big game or race is over.  In a somewhat similar and peculiar way, Christians may also feel the same way following the rollercoaster of emotions we experience, and ultimately celebrate during our journey through Holy Week.  

So, how do we continue to be Holy after Holy Week?  To keep with the sports analogy, as a cyclist, when the Tour de France is over, I continue to ride my bike.  In fact, the Tour inspires me to ride more often and reach deeper into improving my fitness.  As Christians, we can apply this same motivation or discipline.  Holy week and the resurrection of our Lord should motivate us to dig deeper into our SPIRITUAL FITNESS and strive to be even more Holy after Holy Week.  Can I get an AMEN!

In an effort to help us strengthen our Faith and stay motivated following Holy Week (our spiritual version of the Tour de France or the World Series for baseball fans since the season just got underway), Loyola Press has provided a list of recommended books to read.  These books include spiritual readings that bring the themes of hope, courage, and inspiration to our continued celebration of the Resurrection.

Below are two books that I have personally chosen to read that remind us that God is right in front of all of us and that we can find God even in all the mess.

Book #1: God Is Right in Front of You, A Field Guide to Ignatian Spirituality by Brain Grogan.  This book is an invitation to experience how God can be found everywhere — in nature, in relationships, and ultimately in day-to-day encounters of daily life.

If you’re searching for God’s presence in your life but don’t know where to look, or if you’re sure that God is out there somewhere, but you just can’t find the time and space to explore, this book may be just right for you.  Grogan notes that God is at home both in the micro- and the macro-levels of reality and even in experiences of evil and trouble.  And God’s loving plan encompasses everything that exists, including and ESPECIALLY YOU. 

Should you choose to read this book, you will learn how to find God in every aspect of your life and how to use these discoveries to grow in faith.  Each chapter is brief enough to be read in a single sitting and ends with an exercise designed to help you understand and appreciate that God is all around you every minute of the day.

Book #2: Finding God in the Mess: Meditations for Mindful Living by Jim Deeds and Brendan McManus.  Does your busy modern life distract you and cause you stress?  With all the technology, media, jobs, family, appointments, hobbies — does your life sometimes feel like a mess?  Do you find it hard to carve out time for mindful contemplation and prayer?  

Finding God in the Mess can be a good tool to help us learn to pause, to take time to be with God, to contemplate our lives, and to recognize God’s presence in all of it, especially the hard times.  Taking the time to read this book and reflect on the meditations, may just make our prayer time mindful and fruitful and perhaps even restorative.

How are you remaining Holy after Holy Week?

Where do you find (and recognize) God in your relationships and daily life?  Do you appreciate and thank him for your blessings?

Where do you find God in all the mess?  Do you pray for his guidance as you navigate through life’s challenges?