Pause+Pray

There is a subtle temptation to reduce the spiritual life to a relationship between “me and Jesus.” We wrongfully treat others and the world as distractions.

The fear of want drives many of us. From sunrise to sunset we worry about whether there will be enough: enough money, enough time, enough food on the table.

Despite the reported fragility of our earth, we still see grass in the cracks of sidewalks and evergreens with their perennial promise.

Today, reflect on this passage where the word firstfruits appears: “But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep” (1 Cor 15:20).

In Western culture, sometimes there is a lack of respect and care for the elderly among us. There is such wisdom, virtue, and strength of character we can learn and appreciate from the generations older than us.

A still life painter or an artistic photographer helps us see something as ordinary as bread, bird or pear with new appreciation. If we don’t pause to thank, we might assume such mini-blessings will always be there.