A few years ago, at Mass, the priest threw out questions for us to chew on. “What’s your god? What pulls you from focusing on the Lord and all that He asks of you? What do you think about in the middle of Mass or when you are stressed?” he proposed. Immediately, my mind went to running. It consumed my thoughts and time. When things were tough, I would jet out the door and hit the pavement. I could be assured that running would bring my body and mind comfort instantaneously. It helped me to arrive at a better place, however, I quickly recognized that at these times I should be leaning to the Lord. Exercise was not evil, but I had placed it on a pedestal. I had made it my god. I had some work to do. “Those who are followers of worthless idols abandon their faithfulness…” Jonah 2:8
What’s your god? What is it that you lean in to when your world is falling apart, when you lose control, or when you are feeling alone? What do you turn to? Do you seek the Almighty Father, the giver of life or do you turn to the things in this world, things that pass away, things that only temporarily satisfy? King Solomon reminds us with his zealous prayer, “ that all the peoples of the earth may know the Lord is God and there is no other.” 1 Kings 8:60 “
Call to Act: I encourage you to be mindful of the ways you satiate this week. Journal each day about the things that you think about: food, drink, exercise, shopping, home decorating, friends and gossip. Write about the areas where you could have turned to the Lord in lieu of worldly pleasures. Beseech Him to open your eyes to the ways you can draw closer to Him and offer him your fears and worries. Ask God what He wants you to relinquish and turn over to Him. What can you take and lay on the altar? It’s not easy, sister. I know your pain all too well. I find myself laying my gods on the altar again.. and again.. and again. However, the Lord never frowns on these sacrifices. He finds great joy in us bringing them forth and invites us to come back to him repeatedly. “Put to death, then, the parts of you that are earthly: immortality, impurity passion, evil desire, and the greed that is idolatry.” Colossians 3:5.
St. Augustine and St. Francis of Assisi, pray for us that we may have the courage to leave the pleasures of the world behind and focus our longing on the Lord. Ask the Lord to allow us to see the worldly things we are invited to sacrifice at the altar so we might grow in our relationship with Our Master. Beg Him to lessen our desires and increase our longing for Our One True God, the Lord of Heaven and Earth. Intercede for us that we may act as the Lord is asking of us and draw ever nearer to Him. Amen.
“Keep on doing what you have learned and received and heard and seen in me,” says Saint Paul, “and the God of peace will be with you.” Phillipians 4:9
I found this image on my phone after a visit to Adoration. This is where my daughter’s heart was focused. A beautiful reminder of pure, simple, focused love for Our Lord.