December 6/First Friday of Advent
One thing I ask of the LORD; this I seek:
To dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life,
That I may gaze on the loveliness of the LORD and contemplate his temple.
~ Ps 27.4
What have you sought? What have you loved? To answer these two straightforward questions at the end of every day, in the few minutes of prayer that we carve out before bed, is to be honest about the animating priorities of our lives. What has motivated our actions today? Did we pursue personal advancement, or concentrate on helping others? Did we strive to generate “Likes” on Instagram, or to perform quiet, unseen acts of kindness? Have we looked for God at every turn, finding traces of his love and generosity in our interactions with colleagues or family members, in our walk or drive to work, in a cloud-laced December sky? Or have we forgotten him in the rush of the daily demands and distractions that crowd our calendars and our spirits? As we move deeper into Advent, perhaps we might put aside all other aspirations and ambitions and focus on seeking one thing and one thing only: to be in the presence of God. In his longing to sit in quiet contemplation of his creator, the psalmist shows us the way. Here is the heart of prayer: this focused yearning simply to be in the presence of the One who loves us. Prayer does not require us to adopt set language, or take specific action. It is, rather, an intentional quieting that allows us to be attentive to the voice of God. Today, our fervently seeking psalmist points to the joy of contemplation as a goal worth seeking in this most contemplative of seasons.
God of peace, Instill in me the unswerving desire to seek and to love you above all. Amen.
To hear “Seek Ye First the Kingdom of God,” click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EsBpM9IcBts
For today’s readings, click here: http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/120619.cfm
