Today. Within that one word is held so much potential. It carries a lot of weight and contains unlimited possibilities. For many of us, though, the significance of today is contingent upon what happened yesterday or what will happen tomorrow. In other words, some people dwell in the past, while others (like me) are always looking to the future to find fulfillment in the present. Even for those people who are gifted with an appreciation of the present moment, there are always times in daily life when the duties and tasks of the day can become the most important thing, taking priority over staying connected with God. No matter which category you fall into, we all are guilty of the same problem: forgetting to seek the Lord in the here and now.
How can we become so detached and almost indifferent to the love God has in store for us every day? Why don’t we make it a consistent priority to talk to Him first thing in the morning, to connect with Him throughout the afternoon, to touch base with Him in the evening, and to say goodnight to Him before drifting off to sleep? If we truly love the Lord above all else, more than any other person or possession, wouldn’t we want to make sure we are keeping the communication lines open? So many people, myself included, do all the “right things” — we go to daily Mass, we go to Confession frequently, we try to make time to pray occasionally during the day, all in our attempt to be “good Christians.” So what are we missing? The reading for today gives us a hint:
“…You have endurance and have suffered for my name, and you have not grown weary. Yet I hold this against you: you have lost the love you had at first.”[1]
This is the point. We may be going through all the right motions, probably even with good intentions, but if we don’t remember daily the reason why we are doing these things, it’s as if we are just maintaining the bare bones of a relationship out of habit, rather than intentionally deepening our personal connection with the Lord and growing more in love with Him. Any time we forget to take moments during each day to turn our hearts and minds to God, we have lost sight of the love we had for Him when first we met Him.
Back to why we are so forgetful. Many times when we get caught up in trying to “get stuff done” or achieve something, there is anxiety, stress, or pressure that can distract us from remembering our purpose: to be in union with God. This is often related to the tendency to dwell in either the past or the future instead of being present in the moment. One of the saints for this week, St. Rose Philippine Duchesne, has some great advice:
“Do not look back to the past, nor forward to the future.
Claim only the present, for it holds God’s will.”
One of my favorite scripture passages echoes this call to live peacefully, trusting in God’s love:
“… Do not worry about your life, what you will eat [or drink], or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?
…Can any of you by worrying add a single moment to your life-span?
… So do not worry and say, ‘What are we to eat?’ or ‘What are we to drink?’ or
‘What are we to wear?’ All these things the pagans seek. Your heavenly Father
knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom (of God) and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides.
Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself.”[2]
Anxiety or stress are not the only things that lead us astray. The Catechism shows us some other things that can make us lose focus:
“… true happiness is not found in riches or well-being, in human fame or power, or in any human achievement — however beneficial it may be — such as science, technology, and art, or indeed in any creature, but in God alone, the source of every good and of all love.”[3]
Whenever we begin to look for happiness in things, success, or others, we have turned away from what will make us truly happy: intimacy with God. Whether it is in a quest for temporal happiness or in our battle with the anxieties of life, we must always strive to be in union with the Lord and to trust in His love for us. We are invited to “seek the love of God above all else”[4] and when we forget to do this, that is when we begin to neglect Christ in the moment, both His presence within our hearts and His presence in those around us.
No matter what our individual struggles may be, St. Rose can encourage us with her wisdom: “God does not require great achievements but a heart that holds back nothing for self…” and she reminds us that “He who has Jesus has everything.” A friend once said to me, “Be where your feet are.” This week as we strive to do the Lord’s will and grow in relationship with Him, let’s remember to respond to Jesus in our “now moment.” Let’s try not to worry, to be anxious, or to allow ourselves to be distracted by the lure of earthly pleasures or temporal achievements. Regardless of our yesterdays, if we want to remain friends with the Lord in our tomorrows, we need to be friends with Him in every today.
“There are no difficulties except for those who worry too much about tomorrow.”
St. Rose Philippine Duchesne
[1] Rev. 2: 3-5
[2] Matthew 6: 25, 27, 31-34
[3] 1723
[4] Ibid
