Turning Back With Our Whole Being

Readings 060426 

My friends,
we are embodied creatures—
souls living in flesh,
walking through a world that presses on us
from every side.

And sometimes…
our very embodiment becomes the place
where distraction begins.
The body hungers.
The mind wanders.
The heart chases comfort.
And slowly, quietly,
we drift from the God who made us.

We breathe the air of our culture,
and it whispers that we are the center.
It tells us to love ourselves first,
to bless whatever we desire,
to call everything good
so nothing must be surrendered.

And in that drift,
we forget the first commandment—
the commandment that orders every heartbeat:

“You shall love the Lord your God
with all your heart,
all your soul,
all your mind,
and all your strength.”

But hear this good news:
the Word of God is not chained.
Not by culture.
Not by weakness.
Not by our wandering.

Even when our embodied lives pull us away,
Christ remains faithful—
for He cannot deny Himself.

So today,
in this body,
in this moment,
let us turn again toward the One
who dwells with us,
who calls us home,
who loves us first
so we may love Him with our whole being.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, meet me in this body You formed.
Quiet the hungers that pull my heart away.
Gather my wandering thoughts into Your peace.
Teach me to love You first, above all things.
Break the soft chains my culture tries to place on me.
Hold me steady in Your faithful mercy.
Make my whole being a place where You are loved. Amen

Walking Toward God’s Infinite Goodness

Readings 060326

When the human spirit settles for something finite,
it can stifle human life.
But grace lifts the heart beyond the finite—
toward the infinite goodness of God,
toward the God who calls us to become more.
This is the path of the saints.

Today the Church remembers Saint Charles Lwanga and his companions,
and their witness teaches us something fierce and beautiful:
a Christian must know when to stand still
and when to walk forward in faith.
They lived under pressure, demands, and danger,
yet they moved only at the pace of God’s will—
never rushing ahead, never shrinking back,
always walking toward God’s infinite goodness.

People who love me—my wife, mother, aunts —
tell me I need to slow down.
Too many irons in the fire:
work, ministry, family.
But God gives me what I can handle,
and He gives it with purpose.
When it is time and when it is right,
I will follow His will—
whether that means retirement,
a second career,
or full‑time ministry.
My task is to stay faithful.

So I pray for grace and peace,
that everything I do
I may do for His glory.
For the greatest grace God adds to our nature
is the capacity to share His very life—
to walk with Him,
to move at His pace,
to grow toward His infinite goodness.

Saint Paul tells Timothy,
and us:
“Stir into flame the gift of God.”
For God saved us and called us to a holy life—
not because of our works,
but because of His design,
His grace,
His love before time began.

So let us not be misled
by our busyness,
our burdens,
or our fear.
Let us know the Scriptures
and the power of God.
Let us walk at His pace,
trust His timing,
and let our lives
give glory to God.

Prayer 

Lord Jesus, 

Lift my heart beyond the finite 

into Your infinite goodness.
Teach me to stand still 

when Your wisdom says “wait.”
Teach me to walk forward 

when Your Spirit leads in peace.
Steady my steps to the pace of Your holy will.
Let every burden become a place of grace.
And let my life give glory to You alone.

 Amen