Distractions, Potty
Chairs, and a Litany of Life
Today’s psalm, “One who does justice will live in the presence of the
Lord.”
It reminded me of a television commercial. A group of people is sitting in
the room in front of a movie screen, the moderator explains that all they have
to do is pay attention to what’s on the screen; easy enough, right. If you know
the commercial, distractions keep happening. No one can pay attention. Luckily, this company has the solution to the
problem of distractions.
Life is not that easy. Jesus and his disciples were accused of being
distracted from the purity laws by not washing their hands. Jesus said it is
not what comes from the outside the defiles but what comes from within. We can
call these the distractions of the world. James tells us to keep ourselves unstained by the world. It’s a hard thing keeping those stains out. And, this
is what Jesus is pointing out: the true distraction is in us.
As a grandfather, I am experiencing the joy of two year old child
discovering the world. There was a four way conference call the first time the potty
chair was used. Someone is always there to praise him. He gets scraps, knots,
and bruises as he tests himself. He has
no fear. There is always someone there to catch him when he falls and to correct
him if necessary.
A child is pure innocence and love; yet, a child grows in the distractions
of the world. The child becomes an adult with right and good distracted by the
world. We become distracted. This can cause us to forget God.
But that is what is so great about our God. He is the solution to these
distractions. The solution is a relationship with our Heavenly Father through
Jesus Christ. A relationship where the Holy Spirit guides us through the Church
praising what's right, correcting what's wrong, and picking us up when we
fall. The Lord is always with us, always calling us, and
always speaking to our hearts.
I put together a prayer for our healing service and I think it's good
prayer to reflect on distractions in life. I called it The Litany of
Life. The response is “Be with us Lord.”
Be with us Lord
through the darkest night and brightest day; be at our side and in our life, be
with us Lord.
When we suffer, be with us Lord.
When we are sick and in pain, be
with us Lord.
When we have been hurt by life and are struggling, be with us Lord.
When we are grieving, be with us
Lord.
When we are anxious, be with us
Lord.
When we are depressed, be with us
Lord.
When we feel hopeless, rejected, unloved, abandoned and alone, be with us Lord.
When we feel nobody understands, be
with us Lord.
When we feel we have nowhere to turn, be
with us Lord.
When we are blind to goodness, be
with us Lord.
When others let us down, be with us
Lord.
When tempers are raised, outrage and violence occur, be with us Lord.
When peace is fragile, be with us
Lord.
When lives do not seem important, be
with us Lord.
When forgiveness is rejected, be
with us Lord.
When burdens are heavy, be with us
Lord.
When we face difficult decisions, be
with us Lord.
When darkness weighs us down, be
with us Lord.
When we are weak, be with us Lord.
When hope seems faint, be with us
Lord.
When faith seems difficult, be with
us Lord.
When joy escapes us, be with us
Lord.
When we feel detached from you, be
with us Lord.
When we cannot feel your presence, be with us Lord.
Let us pray:
Be with us Lord and show us the wonders of the world you created, the
depth of your word, and the life you offer us. Open us to the mystery of your
purpose, the closeness of your presence, and the depth of your wisdom. Be with
us Lord and open our hearts to your presence in the Eucharist, your presence
within us, your presence among us, and your presence in our neighbor. Be with
us Lord in our daily lives. Lord have
mercy; Christ have mercy; Lord have mercy.
Amen.
Distractions keep us
from God but by His glory and mercy God sent His Word to us. The grace of the
Holy Spirit brings us justification through Christ Jesus' sacrifice for our
sins. This justice allows us to live in the presence of the Lord. And we must
empty ourselves of all the distractions - be with us Lord.
Litany Inspired by EXPO Formats for Eucharistic Adoration;
Patricia Carroll Episcopal Delegate for Pastoral Resources; Anne McEvoy Youth
Ministry Coordinator
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