Basking in God’s Presence

When I was growing up, I liked to sit outside during the early summer and bask in the sun.  It felt good, its warm rays shining down upon me and everything it can touch. There have been times after Office of Readings in the monastery, as we positioned ourselves 

“forward,” that the late morning sun would shine right on my face.  I wouldn’t be able to see, it was so bright.  With no way of avoiding it, I would “piously” close my eyes.  But this inconvenience soon turned into a prayer: Lord, radiate Your love ,Your graces upon me as this bright light is doing.  The question is: am I receptive to it?  It is a question worth pondering.

To be open to this radiating grace.  All I have to do is receive, receive, receive, and let Him respond, respond, respond through me.  His Presence.  His Love.  His graces.

With this availability comes trust and effort.  We let God work in us.  We are the people He uses.  He acts in us.  But we need to give Him permission.  I have learned to prefer Jesus’ will over that of my own, because it is so much better than anything I could have in mind!  He gave us a free will, and He is so gentle about offering His Plans to us.  Will I be open to it?  Can I be receptive, even though it may be the unexpected?  When an inspiration comes at prayer, an insight or a way to improve, I must use it- how dare I let it bounce off, unappreciated and denied? 

Like I’ve already shared, it can also offer a lot of insight for contemplation.  I recently realized that the beginning of the Hail Mary relates to this.

                Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you.

                Mary, the Lord is with you.  And you are with the Lord.  You are Present to one another.

God is always there.  Do I always make myself present to God, in everything I do, as He is always Present?

                Blessed are you among women.

No wonder Elizabeth thought Mary blessed, as her cousin is so receptive!  Mary is present to Christ, and now so completely that He is physically with her.  Yes, His incarnation was prophesized with a messianic purpose, but He chose her to be the channel of His enfolding as man.

                And blessed is the fruit of your womb Jesus.

This places Him in the picture as the Promised One.  This Precious Child within Our Lady must be always adored.  It is good for us to address Christ in this prayer.

                Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death.  Amen.

                Yes, we must ask for her prayers, to help us so we can be as receptive as she.

Three times a day, the community prays the Angelus to the ringing of bells.  Now I notice the meditation of each part as contemplation, and even my own response, to the Word being made flesh.  Like Mary, to receive, receive, receive.  If nothing “comes,” we can still be confident that Jesus is here with us.  Breathe Him in.  Soak in His Great Love like the rays of the sun.  He is here.  Bask in Him!