Message of the Day from Rev. Mary White
Good Evening and Blessings
Let us continue to pray for Donna Lloyd’s great niece, 8 year old Claire,
on a successful open heart surgery and a quick recovery.
As children, we lived in the present moment. Without the clouding of life encounters, we were able to appreciate experiencing our existence in the here and now. But somewhere along our days of living, we learn to be self-conscious and carry our mistakes as guilt. Sometimes we learn to compare ourselves to others, and we learn to escape from our living in the moment by dreaming about the what ifs or why nots which can be futuristic thinking. Then, as adults, we begin to appreciate the benefits of living in the present. In order to experience living in the moment, we must clear our mind and refocus. Meditation and breathing exercises are excellent ways to practice changing our mindset.
Keep safe, Keep connected.
Blessings and the strength of Love be with you.
Rev. Mary,
revmjwhite@hotmail.ca
A Reading • This is the Day by Peter Miller
The reawakening to mystery is leading us to an attentiveness to the present moment. One of the psalms that I love expresses that so powerfully when it says: ‘This is the day that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it.’ The possibility and preciousness of the moment. This moment that we’re given is, in itself, a precious moment and we ourselves are precious within it.
One of the hallmarks of contemporary society is that we tend to live in the future. But this psalm reminds us, as do many passages in scripture, that we are not future tense people, but we live in the moment of possibility now. The possibility that is inherent in the present moment. ‘Life,’ as one commentator said, ‘is not a dress rehearsal. It is now.’ This is the moment of pilgrimage, of possibility, of truth.
Prayer
Light of the World
During this day of Epiphany keep us attentive to the present, the moments of our living. Awaken us to the realization that we cannot change what has passed and to live in dreams of what may be, is to waste time in the future which is not available to us right now. Help us to be aware of our surroundings, to appreciate life in the moment, and to live into our personal truth. Hear our prayers in the name of the Light.
Amen